


Princess of Darkness (book one)

by ForceMagic



Series: Dark Things [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, But wow, Dark, F/M, Gen, I don't like tagging, Part one of a triliogy, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, So much angst it hurts, Very very dark, doesn't seem like it at first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-07-04 18:33:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 31,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15846987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForceMagic/pseuds/ForceMagic
Summary: Leia Padme Skywalker was taken from the ship on the way to Alderaan, leaving no one alive.Brought to the new Emperor Palpatine by her father, Darth Vader and trained in the Dark Side from this fate changing day Leia confronts Princess Ava Organa, daughter of Breha Organa, with the former Anakin Skywalker, when she is taken captive by the Empire, and has to see her secret  brother and sister for the first time, going by Lady Ruby, and hearing this mysterious boy and girl is called Skywalker, pieces fall in and out of place, secrets are uncovered, and the line between dark and light is walked.This WILL get very dark, please mind the tags.Vader is NOT burned in this story.There are three OCs in this story. Updates will be on a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Everyone! 
> 
> This work was originally posted on Wattpad, and is complete, where I am Crazy_Potter_Jedi. It is also in the process of updates on fanfiction.net, where I have the same name. Enjoy the first chapter!

_Luke ._

 

_Leia_.

 

_Lily._

 

Padme Amidala, with her last moments breathed out her triplets' names. "Obi-Wan, there's still good in him. I... know... there's... still..." Her head lolled to the side, and the Senator and former Queen's life force faded away.

 

The Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, with Senator Bail Organa, stared on in shock. Of course, they all could guess Anakin and Padme had a thing, but the fact she was pregnant, and the two connected enough that if one was lost, in any way, that the other might die.

"Safe, the children must be kept." The Grandmaster said.

 

"I'll take Leia. My wife and I have wanted a baby girl." Bail spoke up. The Jedi agreed silently.

"And what of the boy and other girl?" Obi-Wan asked.

 

"To Tatooine, to their family send them." Obi-Wan nodded, still in shock at his former apprentice and brother's betrayal.

 

"I'll take them and watch over them."

 

Bail Organa walked through the once bright and safe streets of Corosaunt, trying to hide the little pink bundle he brought from Polis Massa, hiding the newborn girl. Getting onto his ship, setting a course for Alderaan, with his aides and helpers, none questioning aloud at the appearance of a small child. After the clones' betrayal, the reformation of the Republic, the Jedi named traitors all in one night... It was to much to handle and the kid was the least odd thing about the day.

 

Suddenly, however, before the ship could take off, a cloaked and hooded figure, igniting a blue lightsaber, appeared in the doorway of the ship. Looking closely, Bail recognized the face of Anakin Skywalker and tried to hide the young Leia.

The man turned monster started slashing and hacking at the people, halting when reaching the frozen senator.

 

"She's mine, isn't she?" The voice was cold, nothing like the Jedi. Nothing has to be said. The new Sith summoned his daughter with the Force. Bail flung forward, trying to stop him.

"Her name is Leia? That was the name I wanted for a little girl." There was no emotion, but perhaps the fallen warrior did feel something, remembering his angel and who he was before the Dark showed himself.

 

"She is Anakin Skywalker's daughter. _H_ e wanted his daughter to be called Leia. You. Are not. Him."

 

"You're right. I destroyed him. As I will now you." In one swift motion, Darth Vader swung his lightsaber and cut of the senator's head.

ººººººººººººººº

 

Light years away, the Jedi Masters felt the disturbance.

 

"Hope I do, that up to the challenge young Skywalkers will be."

 

"As do I. But Vader will not give up his child so easily."

With that, the old friends parted ways.

ºººººººººººººººº

 

The lone survivor of Vader' s _thir_ d massacre was nervous. Not as scared as he has been when Anakin Skywalker, the Hero with No Fear, turned on them, but the prospect of having to tell the Queen of Alderaan that her husband had been murdered and her adoptive daughter taken by the murderer terrified him.

 

"M-milady? " he said

 

"Yes?"

 

"I-I regret to inform you that your husband has been killed." The only emotion on Breha's face was shock, than sadness. Bail has always said he wanted to go out heroically. Either way, she had wanted to surprise him that she was pregnant after years of trying.

 

"I- thank you for telling me. What happened? "

 

"A man, I believe it was Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker,  but something was... off. Senator Organa had a child with him. It was Skywalker's apparently, and Skywalker started killing all of us. He-he paused and started talking to your husband. Then he took the child and killed him. I was lucky to escape."

 

"We'll have to hold a ceremony. You may go, I'm sure your family is worried."

 

"Thank you, your Majesty."

ººººººººººººººººº

 

Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, darkened with the blood of innocents, and the death of his beloved wife, walked with purpose to his new master. His daughter was asleep in his arms. The sight of the beautiful girl, who has definitely inherited her mother's looks, almost made his heart of ice melt. But he was a Sith now. Compassion couldn't exist for him. Palpatine- no, Sidious would exploit it and use it against him again.

 

Vader came to the room that his master dwelled in. Kneeling down, he mentally swore. He had told himself he would never kneel before a cruel master after he has been freed. Yet here he was.

 

"Rise, Lord Vader. I see you found your child."

 

"Yes, my Master."

 

"She is strong in the Force. Do you want her trained?" The question caught him by surprise.

 

"I would, my Master."

 

"Then once she is old enough you will train the girl to be one of us. Now we need to go, Lord Vader. We have an Empire to run.

 

The Sith, the darkest beings the galaxy had seen in many centuries, walked to the bridge of the ship. With them was an innocent child, one made nearly entirely from light, a little candle in the darkest of days.

 

Force knew how long the light would stay.

ºººººººººº

 

On the far side of the Outer Rim, the newly married Owen and Beru Lars were gazing at their orphaned nephew and neice. Obi-Wan had explained everything.

 

If everything has gone as they believed, and the third child was in the hands of Vader and Palpatine, they was the only hope for the galaxy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I fell behind on an update on the second chapter? I'm sorry, here it is.

_ Nineteen years had passed. Alderaan now had an eighteen year old Princess Ava, who worked her heart out to bring down the government and people who murdered her father. _

_ Leia Skywalker grew immensely strong in the Dark Side. Trained from the age of five, she had earned the title Darth Ruby, third in command and second in line for the Empire. She grew up hating the Jedi for keeping her parents apart, and even though it wasn't noticeable because of her strong shields, hating Palpatine for not saving her mother. To take him out and rule with her father was a dream of hers, and she would do anything to carry the dream out. _

_ Anakin Skywalker was completely gone now. Darth Vader has truly destroyed him. His face was always covered with shadows from his hood, unless with his Master or daughter in private.Even then, he was nothing of the man he used to be. _

 

_ Obi-Wan Kenobi was gone as well. No one dared speak the name, and he didn't go by it anymore. He went by Ben, the name he had when he was a bounty hunter at one point. Obi-Wan died at the shores of Mustafar, screaming at his disarmed apprentice, turning, leaving with both of the men's lightsabers in hand, leaving behind Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, finishing Darth Vader and creating Ben Kenobi. He now only had a hut, a mission, and the memories of way back when, of his brother and who he used to be, of his successes and failures. Of the simple times _ .

 

Leia snapped out of her meditative state.  Why had she felt,  _ still _ felt, all that emotion? It was out of place, and yet she somehow knew the whole story.

 

A man's betrayal

 

A woman's death.

 

A child's, no,  _ children's  _ birth.

 

Wait what? There was only her, and perhaps the Alderaani princess, but the princess's birth didn't happen until after…

 

It didn't matter.

 

Then, there was two men, both dying in all but actual death.

 

The betrayer killing another betrayed, the Alderaani Senator.

 

Her, being taken by her father, the betrayer, to be trained and raised where she belonged.

 

A monster being born in place of the once kind and loving, generous, selfless man.

 

A broken being taking the place of the kind man's brother.

 

She only knew bits and pieces from which her father told her. Some of the points came to her through nothing but the Force. Though wasn't it the Jedi who betrayed the Republic, her father and the Emperor wiping them out, as they were still doing to save it?

 

The teenage Sith shook her head. Of  _ course  _ it was that way. 

 

But the Force never lied…

 

Leia had been having these thoughts for a while now. She had been wondering if she was truly on the right side, if perhaps the Sith destroyed the Republic and the Jedi tried to save it, that the Rebels were trying to bring order, not the other way around as she had been taught for so long.

 

"The Rebels have stolen the plans to the Death Star. We must stop them." A familiar presence announced itself.

 

"Of course, Father. They must be stopped, permanently." Leia's vision and rebellious thoughts were all but forgotten.

******

 

The father-daughter duo were in the pitch black hallway of a ship above Scarif. They ignited their crimson blades, Leia's a little lighter than her father's, and started slashing, hacking, and cutting down the Rebels. The pair laughed inwardly at the pitiful attempts to stop them. The plans were right there... so close…

 

And they slipped through the door to another ship that immediately detached.

 

Father and daughter didn't need words to express their anger. They returned to the Star Destroyer, and tracked the vessel to the Tatoo system. Both ships pulled out of hyperspace at the same time, and the Rebel ship was placed under heavy fire and caught in the tractor beam. A group of Stormtroopers rushed in, and within minutes, the armor clad soldiers had defeated the band of Rebels defending the ship. Vader walked in followed by Leia-no, it was these times that she was Darth Ruby.

 

The troopers led the duo of darkness to where the prisoners were held.  And so began the 'mini interrogations' that the lord and lady of the Sith were known for.

*******

 

Hiding from the Imperials attacking her ship, Ava Organa, the princess of Alderaan, was recording a message and giving both it and the stolen plans she got from the transmission into her trusted droid, Artoo-Detoo. However, as luck would have it, she was spotted in the narrow hallways. With her droid fleeing, she pulled out a blaster and shot at the Imperials. She turned and tried to run, but the stun shot blasted at her hit her arm, and she fell. Her hands were bound, and her blaster confiscated.

*******

 

Leia looked on with curiosity as Princess Organa was brought to them. Even captured, the kind and stubborn girl had an air of authority and even calm. The last point was always interesting, as even full grown men brought up in war zone shook at the idea of meeting her and her father.

 

"Darth Vader and his daughter, the Emperor's pets, only you could be so bold. When the Senate hears you've attacked a diplomatic-"

 

"Don't be so surprised." Leia cut her off, her way of saying,  _ yeah right. _

 

_ " _ You weren't on any mercy missions this time, Your Highness. You passed through a restricted system and several transmissions were beamed to your ship by rebel spies. Now what happened to the plans they sent you?"

 

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan."

 

"And your journey to Alderaan required you to go conveniently travel through the battle on Scarif when the Death Star plans were being transmitted, and travel out of your way to Tatooine?"

 

"My ship needed repairs. Tatooine was the closest-" Tired of listening to the princess wriggling her way through tiny loopholes, Vader interrupted her. 

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. Take her away!" The young princess was shoved forward, away from the dark cloud surrounding the Sith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay? Nay? let me know what you think.  
> Bye!


	3. Chapter 3

Lily Skywalker wiped her hands on the beige dress of Tatooine native girls. It was ugly, but the Skywalker, who had been called an extremely troublesome child, and grew worse as she got older, though she’d do nothing but feign innocence when accused, had cut the dress in to a form similar to that of her mother when she visited. Not that she knew anything about her mother. She dyed the bottom of the top a dark brown as well as the bottom of the skirt the same color. Her uncle nearly had a heart attack when she came out of the room she shared with her twin brother, Luke.

 

The dress now had oil and grease stains from working in her own little mechanic shop in Anchorhead for so long. How she came to own the little shop was quite a weird story.

 

Lily never liked the traditional way of Tatooinian women. She needed something more than getting married, raising  kids, and looking after the household. When she told this to her uncle, he told her that if she could find a way to make money for the house, she could do something else than helping Luke fix moisture vaporators, and cook and clean with Aunt Beru.

 

What he didn't know was that like Luke had been visiting the strange man called Ben Kenobi, she had been visiting a Toydarian from Mos Espa called Watto, who was a junk dealer turned mechanic. Now this Toydarian was very old, and wanted Lily to take over his shop.

So, with the accidental permission of her uncle, Lily soon became known as a fabulous mechanic.

 

Now fixing things wasn't the only thing she did with her technical abilities. There was a pretty high price on an unnamed person for vandalizing Imperial property. Everyone but the Empire knew it was her, but no one did anything because they all hated the Empire as much as she did.

 

She did everything from dismantling engines  to making sure the brakes or gas didn't work, causing the steering  to be off so that a few speeders would crash. She was responsible for most of the crashes there.

 

She checked the time and sighed. She needed to start going home. Uncle Owen wanted her back soon. Something to do with several broken vaporaters and some jawas that were coming by selling droids.

 

Locking the shop and climbing into her self-built speeder, she drove off at top speeds. Luke and her would race in speeders and their ships, and she would only win when she took a more dangerous route that Luke didn't dare try to go through.

Ten minutes later, she pulled next to her house, running toward her brother and Luke.

 

"Take these droids inside. I want them cleaned up before dinner to work on those vaporaters in the morning." Her uncle had apparently already bought his chosen droids. "Lily you can help him."

 

"Whatever." She shrugged.

 

"But I was going to Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!" Luke whined.

 

"You could've asked me to get some before I left." She pointed out.

 

"I-I didn't think of it then." He muttered. Lily rolled her eyes.

 

"You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done."

 

"Alright. Come on." He turns to the red droid. "Well come on Red!" The droid starts following the pair, when suddenly it stops and the top explodes off.

 

"Uncle Owen! This droid has a bad motivator, look!" He turned to the jawas and started arguing with them.

 

"Pardon me sir and miss, but that R2 unit is in prime condition. A real bargain." Lily tuned out the rest of what the protocol droid was saying. She caught sight of the blue astromech, and a sense of deja vu  swept over her. Strange. She could tell the pair of droids had been through quite a bit.

 

"Let's go." Luke's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Together the group walked back to the homestead.

ºººººººº

 

Light years away, the missing third of the Skywalker children was waiting outside Princess Ava's cell while her father interrogated her. It had been several hours now, and she was surprised the small frail-looking girl lasted so long. Leia had seen and heard grown men of countless species tremble and confess almost immediately from fear or the intense pain.

Yet this princess was so stubborn she was lasting for the longest time the Sith daughter had seen for a long time. The shrieks and screams of agony stopped, and Vader walked out of the cell, leaving the princess on the floor shaking.

 

"Her resistance to the mind probe is admirable." He motioned to his daughter who followed him out of the cell block.

 

The princess of darkness felt a small disturbance, one so small she nearly missed it. Her father made no motion that he felt it, nor did she say anything. She knew what it was somehow.

There was a new Force sensitive threat, two in fact.

ººººº

 

Lily watched as the protocol droid, See-Threepio, was lowered into the oil and Luke messed with the astromech, Artoo-Detoo as she had learned.

 

"Oh this oil bath is going to feel so good."

 

"Hey Lils can you hand me that wrench?"

 

"Sure." She reached behind her and grabbed what was requested, handing it to her brother.

 

"Well little guy, it looks like you got something stuck in here real good. Lot's of carbon scoring. Looks like you guys have seen some action."

 

"Well with all we've been through, I'm amazed we're in as good of condition as we are, what with the rebellion and all."

 

"You know of the rebellion against the Empire?!" Both Skywalkers shouted with glee and excitement.

 

"Well that's how we became to be in your service if you catch my meaning." Blue eyes met a matching pair with an incredulous look. There had been a battle near  _ Tatooine.  _ Lily didn't know who was getting more adventurous, the Rebels or the Imperials. Probably the former.

 

"Have you been in many battles?" Luke asked with a child-like innocence and curiosity.

 

"Several I think. Actually there's not much to tell. I'm an interpreter, and not very good at telling stories." Lily had been tinkering with the smaller droid, and hit something, causing part of a recording to appear.

 

_ Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi   you're my only hope.  _ The message played over and over again, catching the interest of her brother. 

 

"Who is she? She's beautiful." Lily rolled her eyes.  _ Boy _ s.

 

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure sir. I believe she was a passenger on our last voyage. A person of some importance I'm sure." There were beeps coming from the astromech.

 

_ 'The message is a private message for our master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  _ After spending years working with droids and other things that spoke the binary language, Lily could deduce what the droid was saying.

"He says he is the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi, and it is a private message for him. Personally I don't know what he's talking about. Our last master was Captain Antilles."

 

"Lily!"

 

"She sounds like she's in trouble, I better play back the whole message."

 

"While you do that, I have to go help with dinner. " Lily walked out of the room. Walking to the kitchen, Lily wondered why the war had gotten out that far, and that close. She and Luke had been told that if they went to the academy, if they wanted action they better hope they got placed far away from there.

 

Taking her spot by her aunt, she washed and cut up the ingredients. It was probably a good thing she was the one who had to cook. Luke had been taught how from the same age as his sister and managed to turn soup into a rock, and somehow burned water once. Lily had a more delicate precise hand, making her more natural with food. Five minutes later the soup was ready, Lily went to get her brother, and Aunt Beru her husband.

 

"Luke! Get over here! " The teenage boy grinned. Lily had called him the same way for years. He gave the wrench to the taller droid.

 

"Here, see what you can do with him." Luke ran to his sister and the pair walked to the table together. Sitting down, Luke mentioned the droids. "You know, I think the droids we bought might have been stolen." Uncle Owen looked up, interested.

 

"Why do you say that?"

 

"Came across a recording while cleaning him." Lily answered.

 

"Said he belonged to an Obi-Wan Kenobi." Luke answered.

 

"Wonder if he means Old Ben." Lily said, implying the hermit her brother so often visited, sometimes with her, when they were younger.

 

"That wizard is just a crazy old man. Take the droids to Anchorhead tomorrow and erase their memory. They belong to us now." He said almost to quickly.

 

"But what if this Obi-Wan comes looking for him?" Luke asked.

 

"He won't. I don't think he exists anymore. He died about the same time as your father."

 

"He knew our father?" Lily asked, immediately curious of this Obi-Wan.

"I told you to forget it. I want the droids ready to  work on the vaporaters on the south ridge." The pair fell silent. For a moment.

 

"The droids will work out fine. I was also thinking about our agreement?" Luke broke the small silence.

 

"About us staying on another season?" Lily clarified.

 

"And if these droids do work out, we want to transfer our application to the Academy this year."

 

"The next term before harvest? Harvest is when I need you the most."

 

"There's more than enough droids." Lily pointed out. "And I can get someone to take over the shop for me."

 

"I only need you for one more season. This year we'll make enough on the harvest to hire some more hands, and you can go to the Academy next year. You must understand I need you here."

 

"You said the same thing when Biggs and Eli went." Luke and Lily said accusingly in unison.

 

"Where are you two going?" Aunt Beru asked.

 

"Looks like we're going nowhere." Lily said.

 

"Should go finish those droids." Luke muttered. The two Skywalkers got up and walked back to the shop area of the homestead. Walking into the room, they noticed it was dark. Turning on the light, they then noticed the two droids weren't there. Pressing the button connected to the restraining bolts on the droids, only the golden jabber-mouth appeared.

 

"What are you doing there?" Luke asked, slightly amused.

 

"It's not my fault, sir! Please don't deactivate me! He kept blabbering about his mission and ran off!" Lily looked at Luke accusingly.

 

"What did you do?"

 

"What makes you think  _ I _ did something?" Luke asked innocently. Lily raised her eyebrows. "Alright, I took off his restraining bolt. He said he could play the whole message we saw part of if I took it off." Lily sighed and face palmed. Sometimes her brother was very naive. They ran outside, shoulder length blonde hair blew out of Luke's face while middle back length reddish blonde, past down from who no one really knew, out of Lily's. "Blast it, Luke!"

 

"Sorry." Luke said sheepishly.

 

"You will be if we don't go early tomorrow to find him and Uncle Owen finds out. I'm not taking the fall for this."

 

"Excuse me, miss, but couldn't go out now?"

 

"It's to dangerous with all the sand people." Luke said.

 

"Especially if he went toward Old Ben's. That area is filled with them." Lily added.

 

"Luke! Lily! I'm shutting the power down!"

 

"Be right there!" They said in unison.

********

 

Far away, on the Death Star still orbiting Scarif, Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin were growing frustrated. The youngest authoritative figure spoke up.

 

"What if we try a different form of persuasion?"

 

"Meaning?" Tarkin asked. He had always been slightly skeptical of the young Sith's ideas.

 

"What if we played into the princesses soft heart? And doesn't this battle station need to be officially made operational? What if we ah, kill two mynocks  with one stone?"

 

"That might just work." The Moff sounded pleasantly surprised. "Set course for Alderaan." He told the officers.

********

 

Back on Tatooine, the target of the blue and white astromech woke from a deep meditation. The Force was changing, and something big was coming.

 

Obi-Wan 'Old Ben' Kenobi only hoped the Skywalkers would be ready when it did.

 

Force help them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what do you think of my little OC? She's pretty important and I've got all sorts of ideas with her planned. 
> 
> Bye!


	4. Chapter 4

 

"Luke! Lily! Where are those kids." It was early morning, and Uncle Owen was on a short fuse as always. He walked to the kitchen to find his wife making breakfast.

 

"Do you know where the twins are?" He asked her.

 

"They left early, said there were some things they needed to get done before they started the day."

 

"Did they take the droids?"

 

"I think so."

 

"Well they better be in the field by midday or there'll be hell to pay."

ºººººº

 

"Look, there's a droid on the scanner, see it?" Luke said into the comm."

 

"Yep. Probably out little Artoo unit." Lily said back from her self-made speeder.

 

"Got the accelerator! " Luke told the protocol droid. They drove for another while before coming up on a small blue figure.

 

"There he is." Lily said.

 

"How'd he get out so far?"

 

"He did have all night to travel."

 

"Touchè." The pair jumped out of their respective speeders.

 

"Where'd you think you're going?" They both said.

 

He whistled, approximately saying ' _ To Obi-Wan Kenobi!’  _ See-Threepio didn't like that. 

 

"Master Luke and Mistress Lily are in charge now. We'll have no more of this Obi-Wan Kenobi jibberish. You're lucky they don't blast you into pieces right here."

 

"It's okay." Luke said. Artoo beeped again. However, Lily was to busy trying to understand her heavy sense of danger. Usually it meant…

 

"What's wrong with him now?" Luke exclaimed.

 

"He says there are several creatures approaching from the south east."

 

"Sand people." Luke said.

 

"Or worse, like scavengers, bounty hunters, or slavers." Lily added

 

"So obviously..." Luke said smiling.

 

"We need to take a look!" Lily said also grinning. They took the rifles kept in the speeders and hopped down the ridge.

 

"Definitely sandpeople. See the banthas?" Lily turned to look at what her brother pointed out.

 

"Mmhmm. Oh, I can see one." The set looked up with identical looks of horror as they spotted a Tusken Raider right above them and took off sprinting as Threepio fell back and Artoo hid.

 

Lily turned around and fired three shots at the creature. She missed, and was knocked I'm on her back by a second one behind her.

 

Luke heard the groan from his sister, and watched in horror as time seemed to slow as the sand person lifted his gaffi stick, and brought it down on Lily just right, killing her.

 

Lily saw the stick hit her, and slipped to the blackness of death. At least, she thought she did. She opened her eyes. She had just fired her rifle.. but she had just died... both were true. Somehow.

 

She knew there was a second Tuskan Raider behind her, and moved out of the way just in time. A sand person knocked Luke out cold, and Lily soon followed him into unconciousness.

ººººººº

 

Old Ben Kenobi felt the disturbance. The Tatooine raised Skywalkers were in trouble. He ran out of his house, still wearing his old Jedi cloak.

 

Coming across the two unconscious teenagers, he yelled, waving his arms and amplifying his voice with the Force. The sand people ran off.

 

He bent down, placing his hands on their temples, and heard a familiar beep. He lowered his hood.

"Hello there. Come here my little friend, you don't need to be afraid. Don't worry, they'll be alright." The droid rolled out of the little cave he hid in. Ben recognised him as Artoo-Detoo, his all but in blood brother's droid. Luke and Lily stirred, sitting up slowly, adjusting to the light.

 

"Rest easy young ones, you've had a busy day." He told them.

 

"Ben?" They both asked.

 

"Ben Kenobi? Boy are we glad to see you."

 

"Tell me, young Skywalkers, what brings you out this far? "

 

"This droid." Lily said.

 

"He claims to be property an Obi-Wan Kenobi." Ben was startled. All these years, and he hadn't heard that name once.

 

"Is he a relative of yours? Do you know what he's talking about? " But Ben Kenobi no longer was listening. However, Obi-Wan sure was.

 

"Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan. Now that's a name I haven't heard since oh, before you were born." A small glimmer of amusement twinkled in the old man's face. A glimmer not seen in nearly twenty years.

 

"I think our uncle knew him." In his head, Obi-Wan clarified that statment briefly while I dropped you off and had to explain where you came from.

 

"He said he was dead." Lily added.

 

"No, he's not dead. Not yet."

 

"You know him? Luke and Lily exclaimed.

 

"Of course I know him. He's me." A true smile passed over his face since saying goodbye to his world for the last time. Now he was looking at the destroyer's children who had looks of surprise. "I haven't gone by Obi-Wan since-" a sound of sand people cut off his thought. "We'd better get indoors. The sand peoe are easily startled, but they'll soon be back. And in greater numbers." Artoo beeped.

 

"Threepio." Luke said. They came up on the golden droid where they left him in two laying in the sand.

 

"Can you stand?" Luke asked, ever the one concerned for others.

"We've got to get out of here before the sand people come back." Lily said anxiously, always wanting to save as many as possible.

 

"I don't think so. You go one, there's no sense in you risking yourself for me. I'm done for."

"No you're not, what kind of talk is that?" Luke said as though it was the most ridiculous thing he ever heard.

 

Together they got the dismantled droid to the speeders. Obi-Wan got into the passenger of Lily's and Luke took the droids. Still in shock of having died and came back, and the prospect of having a passenger, she drove way more careful.

ºººººº

 

This day was definetly the most interesting one either Skywalker had had.

 

"Our father didn't fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter." Luke said.

 

"I mean, it's still probably more interesting of a life than we'll ever get but he wasn't a fighter in the war." Lily said. Ben suppressed his amusement. They truly didn't know what their own destinies held.

 

"That's what your uncle told you. He didn't agree with your father's ideals and thought he should've stayed home and not gotten involved. "

 

"You fought in the wars?" Luke asked.

 

"Yes. I was once a Jedi Knight the same as your father." Curiosity bloomed on Luke and Lily's faces, which morphed into longing.

 

"I wish we'd known him." Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

"He was the best star pilot in the galaxy. I understand you've both become good pilots And mechanics like him yourself." Luke and Lily blushed And continued working on the turned off droid. "And he was a cunning warrior. And a good friend." Ben, no, Obi-Wan leaned back, remembering all the good times with his padawan, friend, and brother. "Which reminds me." He got up and walked over to a large chest. He pulled out two nearly identical lightsabers. "Your father wanted you to have these, when you were old enough."

 

"What are they?" Luke asked. Lily was speechless.

 

"Your father made dozens of lightsabers. The one your sister is holding is one of the many he lost that I found around in very unusual places. I think I found that one in a tree. The one you are holding is the final one your father owned and used." They ignated the blue blades and waved them around. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight, not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For over a thousand generations the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire." On the last word, the two sabers deactivated and they sat down.

 

"How did our father die?" Lily asked. They had been told that he died in a freighter crash but what was to say that that was a lie too? If couse it was.

 

"A young Jedi, called Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine before he turned to evil, hunted down and destroyed the Jedi. He betrayed and murdered your father. Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force."

 

"The Force? " Luke asked.

 

"Now the Force is what gives the Jedi their power. It's an energy field that surrounds all living things. It surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together." Artoo interrupted. They had almost forgotten he was there. "Now let's see if we can't figure out what you are my little friend. And where you came from."

 

"I came across a recording while I was cleaning him." Lily said.

 

"I seem to have found it."

 

"General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now my mother begs you to help her in her struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my mother's request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My mother will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to her on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." The girl said. Obi-Wan contemplated this for a moment.

 

"You must learn the ways of the Force, if you're to come with me to Alderaan." It was clear to him that they had to begin the road on their journey.

 

"Alderaan? We're not going to Alderaan."

 

"It's late, we're in for it as it is." Lily continued.

 

"Besides, it's so far away."

 

"That's your uncle talking."

 

"We cent get involved." Luke said.

 

"No matter how much we want to. Believe me we do." Lily added.

 

"We can get you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport from there to Mos Eisey or wherever you're going."

 

"You must do what you feel is right of course."

ººººº

 

On the way, they came across a raided sand crawler. The two speeders pulled up to it.

 

"It looks like sand people did this alright. Look, bantha tracks, gaffi sticks.... but I've never heard them hitting something this big before." Luke said.

 

"That's because they didn't. But we are meant to think they did."

 

"Wait- these tracks- sand people ride single file so they hide how many of them there are." Obi-Wan nodded, agreeing with the young girl's observations.

 

"And these blast points. Too accurate for sand people. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise." Obi-Wan pointed out.

 

"These are the jawas that sold us Artoo and Threepio. " Luke said.

 

"If they traced the droids here- " Lily started.

 

"-Then they could learn who the sold them too-"

 

"-And that would lead them back-"

 

"-Home." They looked at each other and sprinted to the speeders.

 

Wait, Luke, Lily! It's too dangerous!" Obi-Wan called after them. They ignored him, driving off at full speed. "Just like their father." Obi-Wan muttered.

ººººººº

 

They started noticing the smoke a mile away from the only home they had ever known. With every moment passing, they both had a growing sense of dread.

 

Lily tried to prepare herself for what she thought she'd see.

 

Her crying aunt held by her fuming uncle as the house being them was burning.

 

What neither expected to see was the completely destroyed homestead, and two burning bodies.

 

Lily choked back a sob, and Luke put his arm around her, also looking upset. Then instinct kicked in. They looked at each other again, and went back to Obi-Wan.

ºººººº

 

Obi-Wan looked up as he heard the two speeders. Luke and Lily climbed out and walked toward him.

 

"There's nothing you could've done had you been there. You would have been killed too, and the droids would be in the hands of the Empire." He said trying to comfort the siblings.

 

"We want to come with you to Alderaan." Lily said, her voice betrayingly steady. "There's nothing for us here now."

 

"We want to learn the ways of the Force and become Jedi like our father." Luke continued.

 

Obi-Wan nodded. He climbed into Lily's and the droids got into Luke's.

ºººººº

 

Driving into Mos Eisley, Lily drove wildly again. She had so many emotions that it was a wonder she didn't crash. Though she did come close. Slowing down entering the city she noticed Stormtroopers talking to Luke.

 

"That gave me flashbacks of riding with your father. Borderline suicidal." Lily looked sheepish.

 

"Sorry." she said. Her attention was averted to Luke, in a small situation. "Uh oh." She said, gesturing to Luke's dilemma.

 

"You don't need to see his identification. " Obi-Wan muttered. "These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along." Lily watched in amazement as the old Jedi waved his hand around. Luke drove forward to the cantina.

 

"I don't know how we got through those troops, I thought we were dead!" Luke said when Obi-Wan and Lily pulled up.

 

"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded. " The wise man said. They walked into the cantina.

 

"Hey! We don't serve their kind here!" The bartender called. Luke looked confused. "Your droids. They'll have to wait outside."

 

"Why don't you go wait by the speeders, we don't want any trouble." Luke said.

 

Threepio agreed, and Luke with Lily went toward the bar while Ben found a pilot.

 

Sitting down, Luke motioned to the bartender, who gave him a questionable looking drink. A few moments of silence passed before Lily felt a nudge on her shoulder. Looking behind her, she saw a very drunk man smiling creepily at her.

 

"Hello, darling." He said slurring.

 

"Hello sleemo." Lily responded.

 

"Haha feisty. I like you." He reached for her face. Lily reacted quickly, grabbing  his hand.

 

"If you like your hand and nose unbroken, don't touch me." Suddenly, two more pairs of hands grabbed her shoulders. She looked back.  _ I must be popular. _ __ She thought. "Oh, were you afraid that you couldn't handle a small scrawny girl on your own? Good." She kicked the first one back, who stumbled. The she raised her hands, effectively punching the two behind her. One of them got her wrist, and she twisted it, making the attacker grunt in pain, who was then thrown to the floor by the young girl and knocked out. A few bystanders gave her a weird look. Hey, a girl living on a planet like this has to defend herself somehow.

 

Another man held on to her ankle, but quickly let go when she kicked his face, also knocking him out. The final man ran away, definitely scared. At that same time, she noticed Ben had taken out his lightsaber and had cut of someone's arm. The cantina was silent for a moment, before everyone continued with their daily lives. Lily held out her hand to her brother who was on the floor.

 

"You good?" She asked.

 

"Yeah. I would ask if you were but after seeing you totally win against those guys, I think your good." He said. The amount of fights his sister got into, throughout school and the occasional bar fight in Anchorhead, she became very good at hand to hand combat. Lily laughed. Her brother also knew that if she was hurt, unless it was _really_ serious, she wouldn't tell him.

 

"Chewbacca here is first-mate on a ship that might suit us." Ben said. The siblings followed the Jedi and the wookie to a table where an older man waited. The four of them sat down.

 

"Han Solo. Captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're looking for transportation to Alderaan."

 

"Yes. If it's a fast ship." Ben said.

 

"Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?" Han Solo asked incredulously.

 

" Might have heard a rumor or two. But as I'm sure you know, Solo, rumors are so often exaggerated." Lily said smoothly. She had dealt with this kind before, the prideful smugglers.

 

"It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. I've outrun Imperial cruisers, not the local ones, I'm talking the big Corellian ones. She's fast enough for you. What's the cargo?"

 

"Only passengers. Myself, the boy and girl, two droids, and no questions asked." Ben said, putting emphasis on the last point. Solo chuckled.

 

"What is it, some kind of local trouble?" It was Lily's turn to smirk.

 

"It'd be a lot worse if they knew who I was to most people in Anchorhead. "

 

"Ahhh, so you're the girl that the Imperials have had trouble with." Solo said. Suddenly Lily was glad about her reputation.

 

"And that's exactly who we'd like to avoid." Ben said.

 

"That's the real trick isn't it? And it's gonna cost you something extra." Lily raised her eyebrows. "Ten thousand. All in advance."

 

"Ten thousand?! We could buy our own ship!" The siblings exclaimed.

 

"We don't have to listen to him- " Ben cut off Luke making him sit back down.

 

"We can pay you two now, plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan."

 

"Seventeen huh? Alright you got a ship. Docking bay 94 when you're ready. Looks like somebody's taking an interest in your handiwork."

 

"Ah, kriff." Lily said. Solo motioned behind him where a secret door was to get out. The trio slipped through.

 

"You'll have to sell your speeders."

 

"That's okay. We're never coming back here. Plus I got some credits from the shop." Lily said. They came across the trader, and approached him. Luke sold his and begrudgingly took the bag. It was Lily's turn.

 

"Hmm... self modified... possibly set built... I'll give you... five thousand." He said.

 

"At least ten. "

 

"Five and a half."

 

"Listen here you no good scum, this speeder is worth at least fifteen. Continue my patience and I go to someone who will pay me the full price."

 

"Six."

 

"Eight."

 

"Fine." The buyer put the credits in the bag and handed it to her.

 

"It'll be enough." The two picked up the droids and went to the correct bay.

 

"This is it." Lily announced slightly surprised.

 

"What a piece of junk!" Luke exclaimed.

 

"Hey, she may not look like much but she's the fastest shop in the galaxy. Made some modifications  myself. Now we're a little rushed so if you'll get on we'll get out."

They were almost all on when a group of Stormtroopers started firing.

 

"CHEWIE GET US OUT OF HERE!" Was heard through the ship. They all rushed in the cockpit and lifted out of the space port toward the stars. TIE fighters followed them, and they evaded them, getting hit by a few bolts.

 

Luke and Han began arguing, and finally, the calculations were made and the blue streaks of hyperspace were all that the group made up of a Jedi , wookie, smuggler, and two farm kids, were all they saw.

ººººººº

 

Ava Organa was nervous. Not the its-your-first- date kind of nervous but the oh-Force-everything-is-going-to-go-wrong kind of nervous. Well, she did have good reason. After all, she was being escorted to the bridge of a secret weapon that blew up the beaches of Scarif, never mind the fact that she would soon be executed as she wasn't giving anything away. The governor of the Outer Rim, Tarkin, as well as both the hooded Darth Vader and Lady Ruby.

 

"Governor Tarkin. I should expected you to be in control of the Emperor's pets and the new toy."

 

"Charming. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life."

 

"I was wondering when you were going to do that. " Tarkin merely smirked at the young princess.

"Princess Ava, before your execution I would like you to be present at the ceremony that will make the battlestation operational. No star system will dare oppose the Empire now."

 

"The more you tighten your grip, the more loyalty you will lose. "

 

"Hardly. We have decided to test it on your home planet of Alderaan."

 

"No! Alderaan is peaceful, we have no weapons you can't possibly-"

 

"You have another target in mind a military target? Then name the system!" Ava looked conflicted. She saw her home world where she grew up, had friends, a family even though both her parents were gone now.

 

"Dantooine." She whispered. "They're on Dantooine."

 

"See Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. You may fire when ready."

 

"WHAT?!" Ava cried.

 

"You're far to trusting. Dantooone is too remote to make a proper appearance. But don't worry, we will deal with your rebel friends soon enough." A green laser shot out, colliding with the planet. Thousands on the surface looked up in shock, awe, and terror. Then, the planet exploded, and all its people evaporated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one is dialouge heavy. Sorry about that.
> 
> Bye!


	5. Chapter 5

It started as a whisper. The whisper grew to talking. The talking developed into screaming. And suddenly, there was nothing, as quickly as it has come, the voices were silent.

Ben Kenobi stumbled back into a seat. He hadn't felt that large of a shift since the Purges. Luke and Lily turned off the blue blades they had been training with and walked over to him, concerned.

"Are you alright?" Luke asked.

"What happened?" Lily said.

"I have felt a great disturbance in the Force. Like millions of voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened. You better get on with your exercises." Luke and Lily nodded, though the latter took one last glance before turning her attention to the droid.

"Well you won't have to worry about those Imperial slugs, told you I'd outrun them." Han told to a distracted room. "Don't everyone thank me at once."

The Skywalkers were too focused on the practice droids, and Ben watching them with interest. The two droids fired a shot that was blocked, then another with the same fate. The droid fired two quick lasers, which hit their respective target, causing Han to chuckle at the two.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons aren't a match for a good blaster at your side, kids."

"You don't believe in the Force, do you?"

"Doubt he believes in much more than money." Lily said just loud enough for Luke to hear her, who smirked slightly.

"I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other, I've seen a lot of strange, in-explainable things, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's an all powerful Force controlling everything." Obi-Wan smirked slightly.

"I suggest you try it again," Obi-Wan grabbed helmets. "This time, let go of your conscious self, and act on instinct." The helmets were placed on their heads.

"With the blast shields down I can't even see! How are we supposed to fight?" Luke complained.

"Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them. " They sighed and ignited the blades. The droids shot again, hitting the siblings. "Relax. Stretch out with your feelings." Trying again, Luke blocked the shots, while Lily missed the first two, but blocked the following two. They took off the helmets, both grinning. "See? you can do it."

"I call it luck." Solo interrupted.

"In my experience there's no such thing as luck."

***

The training of the Skywalkers lasted the rest of the trip to Alderaan. The two were being taught meditation when Solo announced them coming out of hyperspace.

"Strap in." He said. They did so, until they felt the feeling of turbulence. Leaping up, they ran to the cockpit.

"What's going on?" Luke asked.

"We've come out of hyperspace to an asteroid field." Solo said.

"I can see that." Lily said.

"It's not on any of the charts."

"What?" Luke said.

"Our position's correct except no Alderaan." Was his answer.

"Planets can't just disappear or move though. What happened?" Lily asked.

"Destroyed, by the Empire." Obi-Wan spoke up.

"Can't be. That would take more fire power than I've ever-" Solo cut off, as the lights began flashing. "Fighters coming in."

"He must of followed us." Luke said.

"No, it's a TIE fighter. It won't have a hyper drive. Maybe it was part of a convoy or something." Lily suggested.

"It's a short range fighter."

"It's heading for that small moon." Luke observed. 

"Wait-does Alderaan have any moons?" Lily thought out loud.

"That's no moon- it's a space station." Obi-Wan said.

"It's to big to-" Solo tried to dismiss before it came into view. 

"Want to finish that sentence, Solo?" Lily's sarcastic side kicked in.

"Turn the ship around." Obi-Wan commanded sharply.

"I think you're right." Solo said dazed. The ship gave a lurch.

"Tractor beam?" Lily asked.

"Tractor beam." Solo confirmed. "Shut everything down. I'm not going down without a fight."

"You can't win. But there are alternatives to fighting." The Jedi told the hot-headed captain.

The five of them with the droid erased the log and climbed into the secret compartments.

***

Outside the ship,.Darth Vader and his princess of darkness waited in the meeting room to hear what was going on with the Correlian Freighter. 

"They must be trying to return the stolen plans to the princess. She may yet be of some use to us." The Dark Lord left, his daughter following suit,

***

"Wow it's lucky you had these compartments." Luke said when the scanning crew left.

"Use them for smuggling. Never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them."

"Right, so do we have anymore of a plan or..." Lily said, getting anxious.

"Uh- well won't they send a crew on? We can steal their armor or something and sneak around that way to get the tractor beam shut off." No one could think of a better plan, and just as she said a crew for scanning came on board, and the three younger people stole the Stormtrooper gear. Obi-Wan turned down the idea of getting him armor as well.

"I'm far too old, and I'll do better without."

They came to the point of the station were they could access the full readout of the station. Artoo plugged in, and brought up a full map.

"The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminal will allow the ship to leave." Threepio translated.

"I don't think you three can help. Stay here with the droids." Obi-Wan told them.

"Alright. Done more than I bargained for on this trip anyway." Solo leaned back.

"We want to come with you!" Luke and Lily exclaimed simultaneously. 

"Patience. The droids need protection."

"But he can-"

" _ No,  _ Your destiny lies different than mine." Obi-Wan smiled a little at how similar the two siblings eagerness was to Anakin's, especially when his former apprentice had also just started as a Jedi. He turned and left. Chewbacca made a noise.

"Man you said it Chewie. Where'd you dig up that old fossil?"

"Ben is a great man!" Luke defended.

"Yeah, great at getting us into trouble."

"I think you just don't like being told what to do. I'm sorry you're to narrow minded to see that there's times when you need to take the backseat." Lily retorted. Solo opened his mouth to say something, but the small blue astromech interrupted his thought.

"What is it?" Luke asked.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir. He keeps saying 'I've found her' and repeating 'she's here.'".

"Who has he found?" Lily asked.

"Princess Ava."

"The princess?"

 

"She's here?"

"Oh dear, I'm afraid she's scheduled to be terminated soon."

"Well we've got to save her!" Luke cried.

"Now the old man said to wait here."

"Their gonna kill her!" Luke repeated.

"A few minutes ago you didn't want to wait around, now all you want to do is stay?" Lily added.

"Marching into the Detention Area is not what I had in mind!" Solo continued. Lily looked at Luke grinning while tapping her leg in the code they created when they were younger. He nodded at her, also grinning.

"She's rich." Lily whispered in his ear.

"Rich?"

"Mmmhmm, rich, powerful, if you were to rescue her the reward would be-" Luke trailed off.

"What?"

"More wealth than you could imagine." Lily finished.

"I can imagine quite a bit."

"You'll get it." Luke nudged.

"I better."

"You will." Lily assured.

"Alright. Have a plan?"

"Ummm." Lily muttered.

"Threepio hand me those binders." The droid did so. "Right so I'm going to put these on you-" The Wookie roared. "Okay Han you put these on him."

"Don't worry Chewie, I think I know what he's got in mind." So the smuggler put the binders loosely over his friend's wrists. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, kids."

"Yeah me too." Lily said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have access to a computer at the moment, so this was interesting to copy and paste. 
> 
> Bye!


	6. Chapter 6

The odd group, consisting of a mechanic, a farmboy, a smuggler, and a Wookie, made their way to the elevator to take them to the Detention Center.

"Can't see a thing in this helmet." The two Skywalkers muttered. Solo looked at them with a weird look. Do twins normally act this... in sync? ARE they twins? They might just be the same person in two different bodies... Nah, they're definitely twins

They were shortly joined by another, who, (thankfully), didn't ask any questions. The elevator slowly descended to the lower levels of the station. They then tried their best to blend in, though Luke and Lily were a head shorter than everyone else, and their marching was out of rhythm. Lily wasn't sure if the Imperials were unobservant, or just stupid at this point. The quartet walked down the mostly empty before coming to the door to the Detention Block.

"Where are you taking this... thing?" The officer asked.

"Prisoner transfer from cell block 1138." Luke stated, being almost convincing.

"I wasn't notified. I'll have it cleared." He said, obviously slightly suspicious. Lily slipped Chewie a spare blaster, who threw off his binds.

"Look out he's loose!" Solo said with mock fright.

"He'll tear us apart!" Lily deadpanned. Luke stared at his sister. He knew she was a better actress than this, how many times did she have a wild but believable story to cover up her cuts and bruises from fights, or anything else. He rediverted his attention to shooting the cameras and guards. Soon, the room was clear and they took off their helmets.

"Right, let's find out which cell this princess of your's is in." He walked over to the control panel and hit a few buttons. "Here it is, 2187. You go get her." The panel was beeping. "Uhh, everything under control here, situation normal." Lily face palmed.

"What happened?" The officer through the mic said.

"Uhh small weapons malfunction but we're all good here now, we're all fine. How are you?" Lily was about to go smack Solo in the face but decided that his immediate cringe and regret was enough.

"We're sending a squad up."  
"Negative negative we've got a large leak, very dangerous. Give us a few minutes to lock it down." This was getting worse. Were they anywhere near the reactor. By the officer's reaction, Lily guessed not.

"Who is this, what's your operating number?" Solo hesitated before shooting the mic.

"Luke! We're gonna have company!"

"Only cause some idiot blasted the controls." Lily muttered.

"I heard that, Skywalker!"

"Good!"

"Shut up and get ready to shoot!" Lily rolled her eyes but got out her blaster.

"Wait, when, why did you ditch the armor?"

"Took it off while you were being stupid to an officer, which is why we're in this mess, and our cover is kinda blown anyway, plus it's super uncomfortable."

"It means unless you miraculously have time to put it back on, you aren't going to be able to use it."

"What part of 'our cover is blown anyway,' do you not understand,  Solo? " In that moment, stormteoopers blew the door down and started shooting. They fired back, slowly moving away to meet up with Luke and the princess.

"No way to get out there." Solo announced.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Lily said sarcastically.

"Looks like you cut off our only escape route." The princess said.

"Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, your highness."

"You had a plan for getting in and not out?"

"They're the brains, princess!" Han shouted the same time Lily muttered, "We had a plan?"

"Oh, shut up Skywalker!" Solo shouted. Lily didn't respond. She was trying to remember the little she knew about Imperial space stations. In the mean time, Ava had enough of the bickering, took Luke's gun, and shot a hole in the trash compactor. "What are you doing?" Solo exclaimed.

"Saving our skins." Ava told him. "Down the garbage chute, flyboy."

"I like her." Lily muttered. "You heard her, boys." She told them before following her.  
***

Meanwhile, Leia was watching the security tapes with increasing interest. She hadn't missed when the older man called the girl Skywalker, and no one could could have missed the similarities between the girl and younger man, in a sibling way. Of course, the younger man she could correctly say was a Skywalker as well, only needed to look at the cameras from a few minutes before. She supposed they were twins, and undoubtedly Force sensitive, though barely trained. Her father was searching for Kenobi, so perhaps she could ask him about them when he got back-

No.

This was going to be her project, and only hers. She would look into what Skywalkers existed, what relation they had to her, birth records, anything to tell her who they were. She watched as they made it to their ship with the tracking beacon but stopped.

On another screen, at a different angle, Leia could see her father and Kenobi with ignited sabers, merely circling each other before striking.  
***

The quintet made their way to the ship, but Luke and Lily paused, seeing Vader and Ben in a duel. Ben made eye contact with them, before smirking just barely, and raising his blade straight up in a meditative way. Vader didn't hesitate to strike, but Ben just evaporated into nothingness, only his old robes left behind.

"NO!" Luke and Lily shouted, drawing the attention of the nearby stormtroopers. They began to shoot blindly, Lily coming to her senses after getting grazed by a bolt on her arm. They both heard Ben's voice in their ear, Run, you two. They did so, and soon, they were blasting off into the stars.  
***

"You're sure the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I'm taking an awful risk. This'd better work." Tarkin told them skeptically.  
***

Just after takeoff, Lily approached the princess.  
"Hi. I never got to properly introduce myself. Lily Skywalker, that idiot's twin sister." Lily pointed out Luke.

"Nice to meet you, Lily. I guess you know who I am." The two girls smiled at each other.

"That was one crazy day." Lily said.

"Couldn't agree more." They burst into laughter again. Lily walked over to Luke, rubbing his back in comfort.

"Can't believe he's gone." Luke whispered to her.

"There's nothing we could've done." Lily had to be told that often, but it was time the advice was repeated back to her brother.

"Come on, we're not out of this yet." Solo told them as something began beeping, announcing the arrival of TIE fighters.

"Well, hope everyone's ready for round two." Lily said sarcastically.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late and I missed an update, school us killing me.

Four fighters were chasing the Falcon. Solo and Luke ran to the guns, while Ava and Chewie were in the cockpit trying to out-fly them. Lily was certain the ship was Clone Wars era at least in age, and therefore would have some sort of problem she could fix to help.  
Sure enough, a pipe busted after a few hits, and Lily went to fix it. Getting to it wasn't the problem, but with the twists and turns of the ship it was hard to stay upright, and the little toolbox kept falling, and she was pretty sure she had hit every single one of her toes before climbing out of the hole. There was cheering, and R2 beeped happily. Lily smiled and laughed a little.  
***  
"You're certain that the homing beacon is secure aboard their ship? I'm taking an awful risk. This better work."  
***  
"Not a bad bit of rescuing huh? Ya know, I amaze myself sometimes." Solo bragged to Ava.  
"That doesn't sound hard. They're tracking us. It's the only way to explain how easy it was to get away."  
"You call that easy?"  
"I don't call four TIEs hard." Lily interjected. "The three of us shouldn't have been able to get out of there, Ben's help or not."  
"What now?" Lily asked.  
"Now we deliver the plans the Artoo unit is carrying. I only hope a weakness can be found. It's not over yet."  
"It is for me!" Solo said. "I ain't in this for your revolution, and I ain't in this for you. I expect to be well paid."  
"Oh, don't worry. If all you care about is money, that's all you'll get." Luke walked in as Ava stormed out. He looked at his sister questioningly. She shrugged.  
"What do you think of her, Han?" Luke asked.  
"Tryin' not to, kid. "  
"Good. " He breathed. Lily's eyes widened and an evil smirk played on her lips at her brother's obvious crush. Han noticed it too.  
"Little tame, for me. " Luke opened his mouth to defend her, then realized they were baiting him. He glared at Lily.  
"I hate you sometimes, you know that?"  
"Nah, you love me."  
"I wonder why." She was trying not to grin.  
***  
They arrived at the planet a pilot said was Yavin 4. Ava was swept aside immediately, Han was promised payment after the debriefing. The rebellion had a couple extra fighters, and the Skywalker kids, ever pilots, volunteered to help.  
***  
"The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. It's defenses are designed around a direct large- scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense." A general named Dodonna said. One if the leaders spoke up.  
"If it's that well armored, what used are our ships going to be? "  
"The Empire must not think a one manned fighter is any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. Teams of three fighters will be in the trench at a time, one to fire, two for defense. Any questions?" No one answered. "Then man your fighters, and may the Force be with you."  
***  
Luke was talking to Han, who had no intention of staying. Lily had seen him rolling his eyes during the briefing. Someone snuck up behind her and wrapped their muscled arms around her.  
"Hey, beautiful stranger." A male voice whispered in her ear. Lily spun around and shrieked.  
"Eli?!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around his neck. They had been... something. More then friends, people don't stay 'just friends' after a late night drunken confession and kiss, but they never were an official couple either.  
"It's me. Are you flying, or just Luke?"  
"I'm flying. THIS is where you went? Is Biggs here?"  
"Yeah he's here, running to Luke last I saw. Come on, Red Leader needs to talk to you and Luke." Lily followed him in amazement. Luke was already there.  
"Skywalker?" Red Leader said, walking to them.  
"Yes?" They both said.  
"Twins, huh?" They smiled a little sheepish. "You're checked out for this one and the one in front of it. Sure you can handle it?" Lily had what Eli and Luke called her 'devil smirk.'  
"Sir," Biggs said, "these two are the finest pilots in the Outer Rim territories. They can handle anything."  
"I bet bet they can. Good luck."  
"Thank you sir, we'll try." Luke said. He and Biggs walked to the other ship. Eli got closer to her.  
"I should get on." She mumbled.  
"Mmmhmm. I'm down here, helping from below. Flying those things isn't my thing." He murmured and bent down.  
"No it never was, was it?" She murmured back. She swore her heart stopped when his lips met hers. It wasn't the sloppy, drunk, giggly kiss like before, but slow, meaningful. When they pulled away for the very important need of air, he didn't back up.  
"How about, if we both survive this, we officially can say we're together?"  
"Now I have an even better reason. See you soon, okay?" She kissed his cheek before climbing the ladder. Another person helped in an astromech.  
"This is R7-N3. He doesn't have a master, so you're welcome to keep him if you both survive. Good luck." He left abruptly.  
"Um, thanks?" She muttered. "All good back there, R7?" A positive beep. Lily smiled. "Good." The cockpit lid shut. She turned on the engines with the other fighters. Lily's palms began to sweat.  
They took off.


	8. Chapter 8

Space never looked so terrifying.

It wasn't the endless amount of stars, or the blackness in between. 

No, it was the very real, very scary, prospect that they could all be dead in a few hours, and let down the entire Rebellion, condemning them to share their fate. 

_ Fighters, check in. _ A voice came over the comm. 

A bunch of unidentifiable voices, Biggs' was in there somewhere.

Luke.  _ Red Five, checking in. _

Her. "Red Six, checking in." Lily's voice was deceivingly steady. 

The mass of fighters flew to the Death Star.

_ That thing is enormous! _ Someone said. R7 beeped warily.

"I know, but there's a lot of people depending on us. We aren't alone." R7's next noise didn't sound convinced, even if she couldn't understand the faked  _ We got this.  _ "Relax. You got my back, I got yours."  _ I don't have a back " _ It's an expression, R7!"

_ Anyone else see what's missing?  _ Red Leader's voice said. 

"TIEs."Lily said suddenly. "We still have the element of surprise."

_ How do we know they won't ambush us? _ Someone else asked.

"Something tells me the Empire wouldn't use surprise in this situation." No one argued.

_ We need to take out the towers so we can blow this thing up.  _ The unsaid order was understood by all of them, and they went toward the Death Star even faster. 

They had taken out a few of the batches when the TIEs showed up. 

_ Incoming fighters!  _ Someone shouted.

_ Where? I can't see anything!  _  It was Luke. Lily looked around frantic. "Two o'clock Luke!" She saw him take down a few with someone else's help.

_ Thanks, Lily. _ He breathed. 

"Anytime." R7 beeped. There was one tailing her. She swore. "Hold on back there." She moved upside down and fired. The TIE exploded. She put herself right again. 

Luke attracted attention too. He lost a couple on the towers, taking them out in the process. There was one left. 

_ I can't shake him!  _  His panicked voice said. Lily found the X-wing with Luke's familiar patterns. She sped toward him, and dove. 

Closer

Closer. 

She pulled up. The TIE moved his attention to her, and fired. 

The blast hit Lily straight on. Everything went black, for a split second. 

Then she was diving again, took a chance and fired.  _ What just happened.  _ There wasn't any time to wonder, though. Yet another TIE started tailing her. "Kriff." She muttered. Sh.e flipped around to avoid the green lasers. Red ones shot from another direction, hitting the TIE. 

"Thanks, Wedge." She breathed in relief. 

_ I'm going in. _ Someone said. They tried. 

_ Well? Did it go in?  _ Someone on the surface said.

_ Negative. _ They flew around more, trying to steady the endless flow of TIEs. There was only four of them left now. 

_ I'm going in.  _ Luke said. 

_ I'll cover you.  _ Biggs and Wedge followed.

"Be careful." Lily said.  A TIE hit scraped her fighter. R7 beeped indignantly. "Yes, I see him! See how bad that is." She told the droid. She flew above the trench, taking out as many TIEs that went for the group as possible. A group of three TIEs went in behind Biggs and Wedge. "Boys, you've got three on your tail. One of them's an Advanced." One of the TIEs damaged one of Wedge's wings. 

_ Get out,  you're no good back there.  _ Luke said.

_ Sorr _ y Wedge apologized. Lily watched anxiously.  The Advanced TIE took out Biggs. He began to fire again. A flash of a gray ship, the TIE spun out.  Another two shots, the first's helpers exploded into shards of metal.

_ Yahoo!  _ A new but familiar voice said.

_ Han?  _ Luke asked excitedly.

_ You're all clear kid,  now let's blow this thing and go hom _ e. 

Lily watched her brother fly closer to the mark.

_ Lily watch out!  _ A voice like Old Ben's rang in her ear.  She saw a TIE above Luke. "Not on my watch." She growled.  She flew fast to it and hit it and the last second. Luke fired.

_ It went in.  Let's get out of her _ e.  Luke sounded out of breath. 

***

When they landed all they could hear was cheers. Everyone was swarming the two Skywalkers, and it was almost intimidating.

"Luke!  Lily!"

"Ava!" The three embraced each other. Han joined in.

"I knew you'd come back I just knew it!" Luke told him.

"Ah,  couldn't let you two get all the reward!" He joked. They broke apart.

"Eli!" Lily shouted and ran. She collided with him in a hug.

"Lily.  You're okay. I thought... I thought I'd lost you." He said into her hair.

"Can't get rid of me that easily." She said,  and pulled the end of his jacket down to her and kissed him. He lifted her up.

They stayed Luke that for awhile. Hidden between two fighters lost in each other. There was no reason to move.

Everything was... Perfect. 


	9. Chapter 9

"You're telling me you don't have a single other dress."

"I didn't realize I would be joining a Rebellion and then going to an awards ceremony."

"I've probably got something. Come on." Lily followed Ava. The princess had been in shock when she learned Lily doing have anything but the clothes on her back. In her room, Ava was forcing her into dress after dress.

"No. No. No." She kept repeating. "Ooh, maybe this!"

The dress she held up was shimmering gold. "Try this."

It was perfect. 

***

The ceremony started. Luke and Han had Lily in the center if the boys, and Chewie followed behind. They walked to the stage area, where Ava was waiting.

They walked, Lily in the center, Luke and Solo on either side, and Chewie slightly behind. They bowed at the stage, or in Lily's case, curtsied. Ava took the first medal and placedbit on Luke's lowered head. She did the same with her and Han, and they turned around. There was applause, and Lily caught Eli's eye. He winked.

The ceremony was followed by a party, with foods neither Luke or Lily knew the name of, punch, and a ridiculous amount of handshakes. Like, lots of handshakes, chats and conversations, and introductions. It got late, but there was no way Lily could sleep. She slipped away, and Eli found her.

"Hey. " He sat next to her. "What's up?"

"There were people on that station, Eli. Lots of people. It feels wrong, celebrating their death."

"They're going to have a party for exploding Alderaan and double it as a funeral ceremony. If that makes you feel better." He tried to joke. Lily shot him a look. He sighed. "Sweetheart, they blew up a planet. With more people on it than could fit on their Death Star."

"Eye for an eye, huh? Is that really right? Revenge... It just hurts more people."

"If we hadn't everyone here would be dead. More planets could have gone up in flames. Yes, we took out people. But if we hadn't, it could've ended so much worse."

"Still." Eli smiled.

"You're so innocent." Lily raised her eyebrow. "Ok, not  _ innocen _ t, but idealistic." Lily put her head on his shoulder. He rubbed her back. "Come on. Let's get you into bed. We need to change locations, bright and early." She was already asleep. He chuckled and lifted her up. 

***

Lily groaned at the alarm she set. How had she even gotten to bed? She changed into her regular clothes. She'd definitely need to go shopping or something soon. Eli had mentioned something about moving before she passed out. She opened the door. Ava was there.

"What time do you even get up in the morning?" Lily grumbled. Ava rolled her eyes and handed her a folder. "What's this?"

"Basically our moving plan. We hadn't counted of Han staying, so you, me, Luke, and Eli with be going with him and Chewie. I can't find them so I'm giving the information to you. There's a meeting in fifteen minutes." She left.

"Ookayy? Looks like she's in a hurry." Lily couldn't blame her. It seemed like she ran half the base and probably had a hundred and one messages to deliver.

***

The meeting was brief and was over quickly. Everyone needed to get all the stuff loaded and secured, in ships and out of there within a half an hour.  Lily had done her part and was trying to find the boys, or Chewie, or Ava, or anyone she knew. 

She practically ran into Eli.

"Finally! I've been looking all over for you! Have you seen Luke or-" He cut her off.

"Everyone else is at the ship. I came to find you." 

"Oh. Well, uh, I have the... thing. Folder." Eli raised an eyebrow.

"Are you-?"

"I don't know. Yes? Maybe? I think I'm coming off of my adrenaline high." He chuckled at her. 

"Okay then. We should get back to that brother of yours before he explodes." 

"I don't know, that might be entertaining." She joked.  He sighed. 

"Come on, you weirdo. We have five minutes to get out of here." They walked off. Eli looked at her with awe, just hoping she wouldn't notice.

She didn't.

***

They boarded the ship and Lily sat by a window. She had always been fascinated by the stars she would travel one day. Now she got to do just that  _ and _ help people. The Falcon took off. 

After the battle the previous day, the emptiness filled with little dots of light and planets was calming. They leapt into lightspeed. She stayed in the same spot. Last time she had been busy, and didn't really see the blue with white streaks, the whole feeling of moving faster than the brain could begin to comprehend. Luke came down and sat next to her.

"It's beautiful in a way, isn't it?" 

"Yeah. It's not something we've ever really seen is it? It doesn't even seem like this is real, but... It is." Luke looked at his sister. 

"You've been thinking about that too much." He finally said.

"I really have."

***

Leia rolled her eyes at the sheer stupidity of the officers in the room. They were stuttering fools who feared her and her father. 

"We lost many on that Death Star that all of you said the Rebellion could not defeat. How do explain that?" His voice boomed.

"M'Lord-" He was cut of by Leia choking him.

"No excuses." She snarled and released him. " _ Any  _ of you." A smug, recently promoted admiral stood.

"M'Lord, M'Lady, I have a plausible reason for the sabotage."

"We're listening." Leia deadpanned.

 "The scientist and traitor Galen Erso planted a flaw, so small it is invisible unless you have the blueprints the Rebels got their filthy hands on. The exhaust port had no shields, and had a straight shot to the main reactor. One shot was plenty to-"

"Yes, we all saw the rest. Thank you for your opinion." Vader cut him off. He bowed and sat. Vader turned to the architects. "I want only the most loyal scientists working on the new one. The Emperor wants it to display the full power of the Empire. Make sure it does not disappoint. If it does, and it is destroyed as this one was, you can be assured that it will be your last project."

The Sith left with a turn of the cape.

The air around the officers was cold as the last threat hung in the balance.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, ESB starts in this chapter. Let me know what you think, it keeps me going through the day.

Lily decided she hated desert planets, hot or cold. Maybe snow was worse than scorching sun. Of all the planets they had visited, Hoth was, by far, the worst. So, of couse, being promoted to Commanders, Luke and Lily had to set up their base here with Ava, Han, and Chewie. Most of the people went to her for questions, for some reason. She considered herself a terrible person for advice. When she told Eli this, he laughed.

"You are a natural leader, you just don't have a lot of experience."

This had changed of course. It had to. Like a lot of other things about the twenty-two year old Jedi-in-training. She slept less, and slept lighter. The first high stakes mission she had gone on had resulted in capture at night. Not an experience she'd like to repeat. The hope and light in her blue eyes had been clouded by the realities of war.

The group had grown close, and closer. Saving each others backs and fighting with each other did that. Han, Luke, and Lily fought and teased each other constantly. Luke was less shy, more mature, and more comfortable with the stressful situations the war through at them. However, they all agreed that Lily was the chaotic one in battle, but somehow always knew what to do and found ways to win, or get out.

Lily never missed the to long hugs and lingering touches and looks between Luke and Ava. She ignored it though, for both their sakes, just as they ignored the relationship between her and Eli, even if everyone knew it anyway. Their love life just wasn't priority number one.

But they did go out after settling the bases after every move. They called them dates, and Eli had something special planned for the last one. He just needed to consult with Luke.

"Hey, Luke, got a second?" He raced up to the blond haired boy.

"Just about to head out for a quick sweep, why?" He paused. "This is about my sister, isn't it?"

"You Skywalkers and your observantness." He muttered. "Yeah. I wanted to um... ask... uh..."

"You want to propose?" Eli nodded. "Well its about time!" Eli looked at him in confusion. "Half the base already thinks you two are married. I'm surprised you asked me first, actually.'

"I figured if I was gonna do it, do it right. Thanks Luke. Really."

"When are you planning on asking?"

"After you and Han get back."

"Well, we won't keep you waiting. I should probably go. Ava might kill me if I'm much later."

Eli chuckled. "You're not wrong. I won't keep you. Have fun!" He added sarcastically. Luke rolled his eyes and left.

Lily was worried. Solo came back. Luke was nowhere in sight.

"He said he was checking out a meteor. I would have expected him to be back by now."

"That's what worries me."

Han then proceeded to scare the daylights out of the nearest sergeant to figure out if anyone saw him. No luck there.

"Are the speeders ready?" He asked.

"Not yet, sir, we're having some trouble adapting them to the cold."

"Then I'll go out on a tauntaun. "

"It's nightfall."

"That's right, and my friend's out in it! "

"You're tauntaun'll freeze before you reach the first marker!"

"Then I'll see you in Hell!" Han snapped.

"I'm coming."

"No. Luke will kill me, and then Eli will. Besides, you have patrol tonight that Ava will kill you for if you miss it."

"True. But if you don't come back I'm killing both of you. "

"Fair enough." He left.

Luke, you better be okay. She thought desperately.

Luke, you'd better be okay. Luke heard his sister's voice with alarming clarity. He had been in the blizzard for hours, and was cursing himself for not staying in the cave.

Luke. That wasn't Lily's voice. The figure of Ben appeared in front of him. If he hadn't been so tired, he would have been surprised. Luke, you must go to the Dagobah system, with Lily. There you will meet Master Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me. The vision dissipated.

"Ben." His voice was raspy. "Ben!" He reached out. A familiar face burst through the last touches of the old Jedi.

"Kid!" Han hollered at him. He climbed off his tauntaun to reach his friend, who refused to say much more than a weak 'Ben'.

As if adding to the hopelessness, the tauntaun promptly died from the cold. Han then wondered how those creatures survived so long on the planet if they couldn't make it through a blizzard. He sighed and dragged it over to the still muttering Luke. He looked around Luke's waist for the lightsaber, and pressed the button to ignite it. He pressed the blue blade against the stomach of the creature and cut it open.

"Sorry, kid, but it'll keep you warm 'til I get the shelter up." He said as he shoved him into the tauntaun. "And I thought they smelled bad on the outside."

Lily had just finished patrols and was a thousand percent exhausted. She collapsed on her bed, and went straight to a vision.

She was standing in a large white room. Was it a room? It was so bright, and she could see no windows or a door.

"Hello, Lily." She turned at the sound of her name.

"Ben!" She cried.

"It's me, young one."

"Vision, huh?"

"Indeed. I have a message for you."

"Alright?" Her worry must have shown on her face.

Ben chuckled at her.

"Nothing bad, I assure you. You need to go with Luke to the Dagobah system. There you will meet Master Yoda, who taught me. He will teach you and you're brother now."

"Okay, when?"

"You will know when the time is right." Lily nodded, only slightly exasperated. Were straight answers from the Force illegal or something? "Oh, and Lily?" She looked up. "Eli is strong in the Force, like yourself. If he were to be discovered by Vader, it will be disastrous. You must help him."

"Do I tell him?" Ben smiled.

"That is a question only you can answer."

"Then I'm telling him. Eventually." She looked for Ben's reaction, but he was already gone. "Of course."

The rest of the sleep was blissfully uninterrupted.

Han woke early the next morning to keep an eye and ear out for the search party. It could take a while, because no one, not even he, had any idea where he was. He stood outside in the cold, watching the skies.

'Commander Skywalker, Captain Solo, do you copy?' Han grinned.

"Nice of you to drop by!"

When they got back to base, Lily was of course, waiting at the entrance.

"Is he alright?" She asked.

"He should be. They're getting him in some bacta to heal the whole out in a blizzard thing, and a nasty cut on his face. I think he was attacked by a creature or something out there." Lily nodded.

"Only he could end up finding the unfriendly things on the planet."

"Or you."

"Shut up."

Thankfully, the med-droids said he'd be out of the bacta in a few hours.

"Hey, Lily? Can-can I talk to you for a second?" Eli asked her.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Well, I was going to do this in a whole set up, but Luke got himself hurt, but..." He took a breath. "Okay. Well, I don't have a ring or anything, not exactly a store anywhere here, but," He knelt down. "Will you marry me?" Lily smiled.

"Yes!" Eli pulled her into a kiss. "Were you worried?"

"Um, no?" Lily laughed.

"Good. You had no reason to."

Luke was awake and in a med-center bed in three hours.

Ava had found the other three and said "He's awake."

They hurried to his bed, and he looked slightly alarmed by all of the people.

"Did you run here? I was unconscious, not dying."

"Don't ever do that again." Lily fake-but-definitely-seriously-scolded.

"No promises." Luke replied to his sister. He noticed her and Eli had become attached at the hand. "Did you finally-?"

"Yeah. About three hours ago." Eli replied. Luke grinned.

"Good. Because if you hadn't I was going to make you."

They continued laughing and joking with each other until each of them realized they had responsibilities, all but Lily left.

"I had a vision last night." She told him.

"Me too. With Ben, and something about Dagobah and a Master Yoda... No specific times though."

"I asked. The answer I got was 'We'll know when the time is right'"

"I swear, the Force must be allergic to straight answers or something."

"That's what I said!"

"What do you think it means?"

"Nothing good."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy

Lily decided the second thing she really, really, hated was being proven right. Not that she'd ever admit it. But of course, she had to be right about this. The alarms going off only meant one thing-the Empire knew where they were. Which also meant she had to find her flight suit. Which meant having to know where her team was supposed to be. Which meant stress.   
Yay.  
She put on the flight suit and ran to command to figure it out.   
"Lily! Good timing. Wolf squadron is assisting in protecting the fighters, and ground support. I want them in the single-man fighters. Got it?" Ava was in a frenzy.  
"Yes." Lily ran to the hangar.   
***   
All her fighters were in the air.  
"Alright, Wolves one through three, you're with me on ground, the rest of you, guarding the transports. Everyone clear?" A stream of 'Copy, Wolf Leaders's came through. "Then go!" They broke off.  
The battle was hectic. The Empire had sent a ridiculous amount of troops, and what must have been the new At-At's they had received news about. Which were obnoxiously hard to take down.  
'Use the cables, it may be the only way to take these guys down!' Luke said over the comm unit.   
"You heard him! Team up and trip 'em!" Lily told them.   
***  
The battle had finally reached the point where the Rebellion was out of the system and gone, and all of the fighters had to land.   
"Luke!" Lily yelled. They needed to figure out what they were going to do.  
"Lily! We should go." He said.  
"Well, yeah, but where? With the Rebellion, or Dagobah?"   
"Dagobah. It seems right."  
"It does. Let's go." They ran to their X-Wings and took off.  
"R7, remove the preset coordinates." The droid beeped worriedly. "Its alright, there's just a few things Luke and I need to do." R7 made a noise that could have been a grumble. "Don't give me that." Lily plugged in the coordinates for Dagobah. R7 asked a question. "Yeah, it's probably good if you take over. I need to sleep or something. I have a feeling I'll need it. Wake me when we get there, okay?" R7 acknowledged her request. "Thanks, buddy."  
***  
Lily woke to a shrill series of beeps and whistles.   
"Okay, okay! I'm up! That is one green planet!" It was true, Dagobah had the coloring of a swamp, with no technology readings, cities, or anything of the like. However, it had such high life readings, you'd think it was Coruscant.  
'Lily, you there?' Luke's voice came through the comm.  
"Yeah, this planet is insane, huh?"  
'These readings are crazy.' Luke vocalized.   
"We better get down there, and do whatever it is we need to do."  
Luke agreed, and the duo flew down to the strange planet, much to their droids' protesting.  
***  
Luke managed to crash in a bog. Lily landed on the solid ground near it, and she shook her head. The pilot who shot an impossible shot into a tiny spot crashed because of fog. He was never living this down.  
With much struggle later, including a lot of dissatisfied noises from R2, they managed to get to a slightly drier and open area across the slimy water. Luke and Lily got the tiny generators running for light and to give the droids a boost.  
"Ready for some power?" Luke said as he plugged in the two droids while Lily tried to find the weird tasting rations.  
"Found them!" Lily said with fake excitement. "It's... I'm not sure. Surprise flavor, as always." Luke smiled and shook his head. It was the same routine for three years, and if she wasn't there, Han would take over. They were going to eat, until feeling something weird. They turned to face each other before making signals with their hands in their own little language.  
Feel something? Lily signed.  
Yeah. Like a person. Or something else. Luke signed back. They shared a look. Lily tapped once on her arm to signal Now. They pulled out a blaster and spun around in one fluid motion.  
"Away with your weapon, I mean you no harm." A small green creature said, covering its face. Luke and Lily complied, thinking that there was really no danger, and no lies in the words. "I am wondering, why are you here?"  
"We're looking for someone." Luke replied.   
"Looking for someone? Found someone you have I would say!" The creature laughed. Lily repressed a smile.  
"Yeah..." Lily said.  
"Help you I can, yes. Hmmm."   
"I... don't think so." Lily said.  
"We're looking for a great warrior." Luke added on.  
"A great warrior, hmm? Wars not make one great." This creature was getting more confusing by the second. He hobbled over to the storage container and rummaged through the contents.  
"He-hey!" Luke said. Lily groaned. He was now tossing things around the campsite. "Listen, friend, I didn't mean to land in that puddle, and if we could get my ship out, we would, but we can't, so why don't you just..."   
"Aww, can't get you're ship out?" He teased. He threw out another thing.  
"Could you not?" Lily muttered.  
"Hey, give me that!" Lily turned around to see Luke standing over the creature, who was holding a lamp.  
"Mine! Or help you I will not." R2 and R7 grabbed the lamp and tried to take it. The creature then hit both droids repeatedly with his cane. "Mine! Mine!"   
"Fine!" Lily interrupted suddenly. "Take the lamp. R2, R7, let go." The droids obeyed. "Now please, we have things to do, so go do whatever it is you do here."   
"No, no! Stay and help you I will, to find your friend!"   
"We aren't looking for a friend, we're looking for a Jedi Master." Luke said impatiently. The creature's eyes widened in understanding.  
"Ooh, Yoda. You seek Yoda!"   
"You know him?" Lily asked. The creature nodded.  
"Take you to him I will." He laughed. "But, now, eat. Food. Good food. Come." They began to follow when the droids beeped in unhappiness.   
"Stay here and look after the camp." R7 beeped angrily. "Don't give me that."  
Lily shook her head in disbelief as they began walking.  
When did my life get this weird?


	12. Chapter 12

It had started raining by the time they reached the creature's hut. Which was small enough that it was the first time either Luke or Lily hit their head on the ceiling. The creature had put a weird stew in three bowls and handed two to the siblings. Luke began arguing with the creature while Lily zoned out. 

"Look, I'm sure it's delicious, I just can't tell why we can't see Yoda now."

"Patience! For the young Jedi it is time to eat! Good food, hmm?" Lily nodded absent mindedly. It actually wasn't, surprisingly. 

"How long will it take to get there?" Lily asked. 

"Not long. Yoda not far. Why you wish to become Jedi?" Lily wasn't sure how to answer,so she let Luke take over.

"Mostly because of our father, I guess."

"Father, hmm?"

"We don't have a whole lot of him. This gives us a connection to him." Lily said.

"Mmm. Powerful Jedi was he, yes. Powerful Jedi."

"You knew him?" Lily asked. This creature seemed to know everyone.

"How could you? You don't even know who we are!" Luke was frustrated. "What are we doing here, we're wasting time!" Lily put a hand on his arm to let him know to chill. The creature looked annoyed.

"I cannot teach them. The boy has no patience, and the girl is far too reckless." He said.

"They will learn." A voice said.

"Ben." Lily breathed.

"Much anger in them, like their father." 

"Was I any different, when you taught me?"

"They are not ready." The creature said with finality.

"Yoda." Luke said breathlessly.

"We are." Lily interjected. "We are ready."

"Ready, are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind." He looked at them. "You are reckless! Unstable."

"So was I, if you remember." Ben's voice spoke again.

"Too old. Too old to begin the training." Yoda's voice held more sympathy.

"But we've learned so much in the last years." Luke said.

"Will they finish what they begin?"

"We won't fail you." Lily promised.

"We're not afraid." Luke added.

"You will be." Yoda said. "You will be.

What are you talking about? Lily thought.   
***

Leia walked with her father to the giant hologram and knelt as the image of the Emperor appeared.

"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Vader said.

"There has been a disturbance in the Force. Have you felt it?"

"Yes, my Master." Leia remained silent.

"We have new enemies. Luke and Lily Skywalker." Wait, Skywalker is our last name... There must be a coincidence. There's no way that- Leia's thoughts were cut off. "I have no doubt they are the offspring of Anakin Skywalker."

"What?! " Leia seethed.

"Hush, child." Palpatine said. Child. She thought bitterly. Child my-

"How is that possible? " Her father asked.

"It seems young Padme Amidala had triplets before her unfortunate demise." What little light that was left in the Sith flared at his dead wife's name and his master's mocking of her death. "Unfortunately, they did not follow in their sister's steps." He looked at Leia pointedly. "The boy is the one who destroyed the Death Star, and I feel the girl has a larger destiny than she knows. They must not become a threat."

"They will join us or die, my Master. They will give into the Dark Side." Palpatine looked pleased.

"Good, good."

Leia couldn't help but think that losing yourself to the darkness and dying were one in the same.   
***

Ava was not happy being stuck with the two boys on the ship. They were as close as siblings, but sometimes enough was enough, especially where Han was concerned. After being almost shot down by a bounty hunter AND the Empire, AND being almost eaten by a meteor monster, they were going to see one of Han's old friends.

Han had said not to worry, so that's exactly what Ava did, because that man had hung out with the worst crowds possible.

So they were driving through space with a broken ship to meet a possibly trustworthy friend of a former snuggler.

There was a time when running a Rebellion was simple.


	13. Chapter 13

Lily added humid planets to her list of worst places to be. Yoda had them take turns carrying him in a backpack running all over the jungle. Luckily they were both extremely fit, from a childhood on Tatooine, and three years in the Rebellion. The humid heat though, took a lot out of them.   
Of course, physical strength wasn't the only thing they were being training on. There was a tiny bit of lightsaber training, mostly basics so if for some reason, they had to get in a duel, they'd survive. The main thing was meditation. Which they both sucked at. At the moment, they were on another run, swinging from vines and doing backflips over logs.   
"Run! Yes. A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger... fear... aggression. The dark side of the Force are they.Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice." Yoda lectured from Luke's back.  
"Vader. Is the Dark Side stronger?" He asked.  
"No." Yoda answered. For once it was a straight answer. "Quicker, easier, more seductive."  
"But how are we supposed to know the good side from the bad?" Lily asked.  
"You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."  
"But why can't we-" Luke began.  
"No, no! There is no why. No more will I teach you today. clear your minds of questions." Lily frowned. How do you learn without questioning? But they went back to their things, Luke put on his tan jacket, and Lily took a drink of water.  
"Somethings... wrong." Lily said.  
"It's... cold. Like death." Luke said.  
"That place, strong with the Dark Side, a domain of evil it is." Yoda explained. "In you must go."  
Sounds about right. Lily thought.  
Luke took his belt, and Lily reached for her lightsaber.  
"Your weapons, you will not need them." Lily pulled away, with more trust than Luke, who raised an eyebrow.  
"What's in there?" Lily asked.  
"Only what you take with you." They climbed into the cave.  
Nothing happened at first, but then Luke and Lily were alone.  
"Luke!" She hissed. "Luke, where are you." She sighed. She turned around. Han, Ava, and Eli stood there. "How did you guys get here? Don't get me wrong, it's good to see you... but how?" They said nothing. "Guys?"  
"You left us." She couldn't tell who spoke. "You left us, and it killed us."  
"No, no, no I didn't. I-We're doing this to protect you."  
"YOU KILLED US. YOU KILLED US. YOU KILLED US." Echoed around the cave. They were joined by semi-familiar faces of the Alliance, and they faded. Everything faded, until not even the sound of her breath remained.  
"Alright. It's not real, I can tell." Light returned, and Lily climbed out of the cave.***  
Luke was not having an easy time. First he had gotten separated from his sister. He ignited his lightsaber after hearing a twig snap.He spun around to see Vader, hooded face and all. Vader ignited his red lightsaber, and the two engaged in a battle.  
Somehow, Luke got the best of the Sith and took his head off. The hood fell to reveal a familiar face; his.  
A body was hidden under the plants, with a fatal wound from a lightsaber in her side. He walked closer. The face fell to face him.  
It was Lily's.  
Luke knew it was fake, but that didn't mean seeing his sister's corpse was any less bothersome. He got out of the cave as fast as he could.***  
Leia, or in their current setting on the bridge of the Executor, Lady Ruby, had sensed the change in her father since their meeting with the Emperor, and the mention of her Jedi siblings. It was clear he took it possibly worse than she did.  
"There will be a substantial reward for the captor of the Millennium Falcon, and its passengers. I want them alive." He sneered. "No disintegrations." He looked specifically at Boba Fett.  
"As you wish." Leia had always been impressed with the bounty hunter. He was one of the few lowlifes who did not tremble in her father's presence, and gave her the respect she deserved.  
"My Lord, my Lady." Admiral Piett interrupted. "We have them." Leia and Vader exchanged identical evil smirks. Soon, they would have Solo and his friends, and be one step closer to finding the Skywalkers, and crushing the Rebellion. Permanently.   
***  
Lily was determined never to have another experience like that again. Now, they were working on something they both were terrible at; meditation.  
Somehow, meditation equaled one armed handstands and rocks on your leg, or a Jedi Master, while stacking rocks with the Force.  
"Use the Force... yes." Yoda said as they stacked the second rock. It trembled as it was placed.   
They were about to place the last one when R2 and R7 beeped loudly in alarm to get the Jedi's attentions.   
"Concentraaaaaate!" Yoda yelled as both Luke and Lily tumbled down. They looked to see what the commotion was. Luke's X-Wing had sunk.   
"Of course." Lily muttered.  
"We'll never get it out now!" Luke complained.  
"So certain, the two of you are? Nothing with you can it be done. Listen do you not to what I say?"  
"Master, lifting rocks is one thing but this-" Lily started.  
"No! No different. Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned."  
"Alright." Lily conceeded.  
"We'll give it a try." Luke said.  
"Do or do not. There is no try." They took a breath before reaching a hand out. They felt for the ship and pulled.   
It worked for a little, until the weight building on their shoulders was too much. They let go.  
"It- can't" Lily said.  
"It's too big." Luke said, also out of breath.  
"Size matters not. Judge me by my size, do you?" They both shook 'no'. "And well you should not. For my ally in the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship."  
"But you want the impossible." Luke said and walked away, with Lily close behind. Yoda shook his head, and almost effortlessly pulled the ship from the water, and placed it gently next to Lily's. Lily gaped wordlessly, after hearing it land.  
"I don't-I don't believe it!" Luke said in awe.  
"That is why you fail."


	14. Chapter 14

There were few times when Leia's anger rivaled her father's, but this was one of those rare times.  
"I humbly beg for your forgiveness, losing them was-" He was cut off by a raging Leia.  
"You lost them? What do you and your men have a job for if you cannot take down a simple smuggler ship?"  
"My Lady, I-" The pathetic officer pleaded. He was interrupted again, lifted off the air and struggling to breathe. Leia watched in satisfaction as his life began to leave him.  
"Apology accepted, captain Needa." He let the body fall. Leia waved at the stormtroopers to take it away.  
"Lord Vader, Lady Ruby, The ship has done a full sweep of the area. If the Millennium Falcon went into lightspeed, they could be on the other side of the galaxy by now." Admiral Piett reported.  
"Alert all commands, and calculate every possible route. I want them found." Vader ordered.  
"Yes my Lord. We'll find them."  
"Don't fail again, Admiral." Vader threatened. The fear in Piett's eyes was enough to show he understood.  
When he left, Leia turned to her father.  
"They stuck to the ship, didn't they?"   
"Almost certainly. Alert Boba Fett before we go into lightspeed."  
"Will do, Father."  
Han, Ava, Eli and Chewie had indeed been attached to the ship, and had no idea they were being followed by one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy.  
***  
Luke and Lily were meditating again, this time only Luke stacked the rocks, and Lily was elsewhere in quiet, trying to submerge into the Force. It was a challenge at first, but then she found a rhythm, and was lost in the force.   
She saw Naboo and Coruscant, the way they were long before the Empire. She saw Mustafar, the most feared planet for Jedi and their supporters.   
Then the images changed into a vision.  
A large Star Destroyer was looming in the stars, and the Millennium Falcon was flying away, followed by a different, foreign ship. She saw Bespin, and the City in the Clouds. The Falcon was flying toward it. There was a feeling of safety.   
The vision grew darker, and she heard the fire of a blaster, and the hum of a lightsaber. She saw Han, Ava, and Eli, felt their betrayal and pain. Oh the pain! It became to much.  
She snapped out of the meditation and ran to Master Yoda and Luke.  
Luke was sitting on the ground looking troubled.  
"Luke!" She called, still catching her breath. "Eli, Han, Ava... Cloud City..." He waved her to stop.  
"I saw."  
"It is the future you see." Yoda said.  
"The future?" Luke and Lily said simultaneously.   
"Will they die?" Luke asked.  
"Difficult to see. Always in motion the future is."  
"We have to go to them." Lily said. Luke agreed with her.  
"Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered." Yoda advised.  
They went to train again, the vision still burning in their minds.***  
Vader and Leia went to the hologram holding a hologram of Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett.  
"You have news, Fett?" Leia said.  
"Yes. I have tracked them to Cloud City on Bespin. I gathered you would like to speak to the man in charge of it."  
"Indeed. You have done well, Fett." Vader said. He bowed. "Calrissian, there are two ways this can go. Either we take Solo, Princess Organa, and Commander King, or we stage a garrison there, and take them anyway." Calrissian looked conflicted. He didn't want to betray his old friend, but he couldn't afford an Imperial invasion.  
"You can have them. How do you propose I keep them here?"  
"What did they come for?" Leia asked.  
"They haven't landed yet." He answered promptly.  
"How far away are we?" Vader asked a random officer.  
"About four hours my Lord."  
"Can you keep them occupied and make the whatever they need take that long?" Leia asked the fearful man.  
"Yes, my Lady." Good. He knew to properly address her.  
"Good. I must warn you, Calrissian, do not fail us, or you will suffer the consequences." Vader looked at his daughter approvingly. She disconnected the hologram. ***  
After almost being shot down by Cloud City's guards, they were finally able to land on an empty pad.  
"No one to greet us." Threepio said, stating the obvious like usual.  
"I don't like this." Ava muttered.  
"What would you like?" Han snapped. Eli shook his head.  
"No, Ava's right. Something isn't right."  
Almost on cue, the doors opened to reveal a dark skinned man followed by guards and aids.  
"See? My friend." He told them. He looked to Chewie. "Keep your eyes open." After hearing Luke and Lily say nearly identical things for three years and then everything falling apart, he learned to listen.  
"You no good double-crosser. You got a lot of guts coming here, after what you pulled." Han tried to act innocent, and Lando moved as though to punch him. Instead he pulled him into an embrace. "How you doing, you old pirate? So good to see you! I never thought I'd catch up with you again. Where you been?"  
"He seems..." Eli struggled for an accurate word. "Friendly."  
"Very." Ava didn't sound very certain yet. Eli wasn't either.  
"What are you doing here?" Lando asked.  
"Oh, repairs. Hyperdrive is busted."  
"What did you do to my ship?"  
"Your ship? You lost her to me, fair and square." Chewie made a noise in agreement. Lando seemed to finally notice the rest of the group. He noticed Ava in particular.  
"Well, what have we here? And who might you be?" He asked her.  
"Ava." She answered. He took her hand and kissed it.  
"Welcome, Ava." He said, most definitely flirting.  
"And this is Eli." She said quickly, gesturing to her side, desperate to get her out of his attention. "Another friend." The two men shook hands. Lando turned back to Han.  
"I'll get my people to work on her straight away." He turned back to Ava. "That ship has saved my life quite a few times. She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy." They continued walking to a room for them to occupy while they waited. None of them noticed Threepio going missing.  
Lando left them in a large room with a good view and a change of clothes. Lando pulled out a commlink after leaving earshot and eyesight.  
"My Lord, they are here, and suspect nothing."  
"Good. We will be there. Do not let them escape."  
"Yes, my Lord."  
***  
"You must not go!" Yoda said.  
"We can't get our minds off the vision." Lily said packing things into the ships.  
"They're our friends, we have to help them!" Luke added, also packing at full speed.  
"You must complete the training!"  
"But they'll die if we stay!" Lily said.  
"You don't know that. Not even Yoda can see their fate." Ben appeared as a figure. Lily was stunned for a moment, but put it aside. They both ignored the Masters' warnings. Yoda shook his head. This had been their father's downfall; caring and fearing for loved ones too much seemed to be a Skywalker trait.  
"We can help them!" Lily said.  
"We feel the Force!" Luke exclaimed.  
"Feeling it and being its ally are not the same. This is a dangerous time, where you will be tempted by the Dark Side." Ben continued.  
"Yes, yes!" Yoda said. "To Obi-Wan you listen. The cave, remember failing at the cave!"  
"We've learned so much since!" Luke said.  
"Master, we promise, we'll come back and finish what we've begun." Lily swore.  
"It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants. That is why your friends are destined to suffer."  
"That's why we have to go." Luke's voice softened.  
"They shouldn't have to suffer because they are friends with us." Lily also took her voice down.  
"I don't want to lose you the way I lost Vader." Ben said as a last attempt.  
"You won't." Lily said.  
"Stopped they must be. On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil."  
"Patience." Ben said. Lily sighed.  
"We can't sacrifice them."  
"You must, if you honor what they fight for!" Yoda said.  
"If you choose to fight them, you do it alone. I cannot interfere."  
"Understood." Luke said. "R2, R7, fire it up."  
Ben and Yoda shouted advice.  
"Be wary of your hate- that leads to the Dark Side."  
"Strong is Vader and Ruby. Mind What you have learned. Save you it can."  
"We will. And we'll be back, I swear." Luke said before taking off, Lily close behind.  
"Told you I did. Reckless are they. Now matters are worse."  
"Perhaps. But Lily has a far larger destiny than any of us can comprehend. She can save us all."  
"I hope right you are."  
***  
Han walked back into the room after walking around for a while. Ava and Eli stood up.  
"Have you seen Threepio?" Ava asked.\  
"No. Why?"  
"He's been gone for too long to have gotten lost. Something's wrong here." Eli interjected.  
"I'll talk to Lando."  
"I don't trust him." Ava declared.  
"I don't trust him either, but he is my friend." Han explained.  
"That's healthy." Eli muttered.  
"We'll be gone soon.'  
"And you plan on leaving, don't you?" Ava accused. Before he could answer, the door opened, and they all turned to look. Chewie came in with a box of familiar parts that was once See-Threepio. "What happened?" She asked him.   
Chewie explained where he was.  
"You found him in a junk pile?" Hand looked shocked.  
"That's a mess. Do you think you can repair him?" Eli asked.  
Chewie made an 'of course' sound. The door opened again.  
It was unsurprisingly Lando. He looked at Ava in the very regal Cloud City dress.  
"You look beautiful. You truly belong with us, among the clouds." Ava crossed her arms.  
"Thank you." She said, even if her expression was anything but thankful.   
"Will you join me for refreshments? Everyone's invited of course." They all began walking to the open door. "Trouble with your droid?"  
"No of course not. Why do you ask?" Han said.   
They began walking to the dining hall, when Han asked about the Empire and their relationship. Eli heard something about 'small corporation, but tuned it out until he heard something concerning.  
"I've just made a deal to keep the Empire out of here forever." The hall door opened to reveal Darth Vader himself, with Lady Ruby and Boba Fett. "I'm sorry. I had no choice." Han looked at his friend.  
"I'm sorry too." Lando left with his guard. Han pulled out his blaster and fired, but Vader merely absorbed the shots before pulling the gun. Eli reached for his, but it was in Ruby's hands before he even touched it.  
"We were hoping you would join us." She said.  
***  
It wasn't any of their first times in a cell, nor did they expect it to be the last. They had certainly all been tortured before, but even then it was an interrogation. Only Chewie wasn't taken to a room with a crude device, which left him alone to work on a droid while he knew his friends were undoubtedly in unbearable pain. It was a few hours later when the three of them were returned to the cell. They could handle this, even if it hurt.  
They only hoped Luke and Lily wouldn't fall victim to the trap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... things starting next chapter are going to get... bad. There's no other word for it. Consider this your warning.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry

Luke and Lily's X-Wings flew at top speed toward the sunset clouds, their hearts racing. They received permission to land almost too easily, but they were so distracted they didn't notice. They landed, and both sprinted to the doors, Luke going right and Lily going left.   
Cloud City's building looked like a sunset, with the walls a cream color, and it's inhabitants also in that color, or shades of red and orange. Lily skidded to a stop. There was stormtroopers around the corner. She looked back. There was no free hallways or supply closets to hide in.   
"The Skywalkers are here, if spotted, capture and report to Lord Vader immediately." One of the troopers commanded. Lily went flat against the wall and hoped they went the opposite direction. No luck.   
"The girl is here!" One of them shouted. Alarms started blaring. Lily added the hiss of a lightsaber to the noise. This was a rare occasion; usually she was in the skies in a ship during battles, and rarely had to use combat on the ground. Stun bolt began flying, she deflected them easily, but more and more seemed to appear.  
A bolt that was set to sting hit her hand. Her lightsaber cluttered to the ground and shut off.  
"Shavit!" She swore. All of the stormtroopers blasters were aimed on her. Reaching for her own would not end well. She preferred to be conscious when she faced Vader.   
"Lord Vader will be pleased." The squad leader said.  
***  
Lily's hands were bound, and all her weapons confiscated. There was a good eight blasters trained on her, which sent her Jedi senses crazy. Of course, the eight didn't include the two who gripped her arms. He's really not taking any chances, is he? She thought. She was... not nervous, well, maybe a little, scared was to light of a word, terrified was more accurate. She had never been face-to-face with Vader before, even if both she and Luke had fought him in the stars.   
So here she was, headed to meet the most feared man in the galaxy, while trying to keep her head free from doubt, and up, and make sure she was radiating fear, while completely unarmed.  
Yeah, She thought, I'm screwed.   
***  
"Lord Vader," A stormtrooper said. "We have obtained Lily Skywalker." Lily looked around. It was an open room, with a strange device in the middle. Han was the only one in binders, though stormtroopers had close eyes on Ava, Eli and Chewie. Vader's face was in the shadow of his hood, but his hateful golden eyes burned as they looked into Lily's determined blue.   
"Excellent." He said. "I know your brother is here, Skywalker. Where is he?"  
"Huh. Good question, actually." Eli put his face in his hands. He loved his fiance, but she had a bad habit of taunting the wrong people.   
"Here's a new offer; instead of leaving your friends and your fiance, yes, I found out, I take them with me if you continue to be uncooperative." Lily's face turned to that of stone.  
"I don't know where he is. We split up. If you use any of them any of them against us, it will only strengthen our desire to screw you over." She heard Han snicker quietly, and Eli fought to repress a grin. Only she would dare threaten Vader like that. Was that a frown that crossed Vader's face? It was hard to tell.   
"I suppose I can get him another time."  
"You can try." Lily commented under her breath. Vader ignored her comment.  
"Will the device work to Coruscant?" Vader asked the dark skinned man. He looked fearful.  
"Yes, but if you put her in it it may kill her." He said panicky.   
"We should test it, Father." Ruby said, unseen till now.   
"It's just a party isn't it?" Lily muttered.  
"Yes, on Captain Solo." Vader agreed.  
"He's worth a lot to me." Boba Fett said.  
"If he doesn't survive you will be compensated." Vader waved away.  
"No!" Lily shrieked. Either way, they'd lose him.  
"Would you prefer you had a chance of death, or going to the Emperor?" Vader taunted her.  
"YES!" The Sith seemed taken aback. He had expected the girl to want to survive, no matter the cost. He hadn't expected her to be so like her father. So like- Anakin Skywalker.   
"There was a Jedi, much like yourself." Vader began. He was going to tell her a story. A story, before deciding whether or not to give into her pleas. "He believed he could save his loved ones, specifically his wife, from death and save their child, without falling to the Dark Side. The Council had forbade attachments, causing his marriage and unborn child to remain secret. Now the Chancellor, now Emperor, had told the Jedi a solution. Soon after, the war ended, and the Order betrayed the Republic. The Jedi didn't, and remained loyal to the Chancellor as a Sith. His wife betrayed him, and died in childbirth as he feared she would, her child, recently children survived. One was raised with the Sith and the other two were kept hidden until recently." He took a breath. "Your offer is tempting, Skywalker, but you are needed alive." He turned to the troopers. "Put him in."  
"No." Lily whispered out of desperation. The machine turned on, and filled with white smoke. Lily bit her lip in anticipation.   
The longest minutes of her life passed before the container came out, Han's face in an eternal scream.  
"Well Calrissian? Did he survive?" Vader asked.  
The man's answer was quiet. Lily almost didn't hear the words, before the eerie quiet was shattered, and the universe seemed to scream.   
"He's dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me


	16. Chapter 16

Everyone had a slightly different reaction to the news. Ava clung to Chewie, both sobbing. Eli looked at the box in despair, with a new determination sparking. Lily had tears in her eyes, thrashing against the troopers who held her arms until they shot her back with a sting bolt. Ruby watched as though their pain was the most entertaining thing she had ever seen. Vader also looked in curiosity, especially at the weeping Jedi before giving his next order.   
"Take them to my ship." He told Calrissian.   
"You said-!" Ruby cut him off.   
"Would you prefer a permanent garrison, Calrissian?" The man said nothing.   
***  
Luke had heard the alarms meaning his sister had been found and caught, he felt her panic. He had immediately taken more care- they couldn't afford both of them captured.   
It seemed like hours later when he came across a hallway with troopers escorting Lily, Ava, Eli, and Chewie, along with a box of carbonite. He caught his sister's eye. She tapped the binds once. Now. She summoned a blaster and her lightsaber, and Luke dashed out to help. The rest wrestled blasters from the troopers. Calrissian spoke.  
"Put them in the tower. And keep it quiet." He hissed at a human-looking droid.  
"What are you doing?" Ava asked angrily.   
"Helping."  
"We don't want your help." Lily snapped. Luke frowned. What could have happened? Lily never snapped like that anymore. Chewie wrapped his hands around Calrissian's throat. Lily sighed.  
"Chewie let him go." She said. Chewie made a noise that sounded somewhere between argumentative and depressed.  
"I know. But this isn't right either." Ava said. Chewie obeyed, although he still threatened him.   
Luke and Lily shared a glance.  
"Can you get back to the Falcon?" Luke asked urgently.   
"Yes. Why? What are you doing?" Eli asked immediately.   
"We have something to do." Lily said.   
"What's this? Where's Han?" Luke asked, remembering the carbonite and his missing friend.   
"I'll explain later." Lily gave Ava a commlink. "Comm in case we get into trouble and need a pickup. Get to the Falcon, get out. Luke, let's go." They left. "Luke... the carbonite... it is Han. He- He didn't- he didn't make it." Luke was stunned into silence and they remained that way.  
***  
They crept into the carbon chamber cautiously. Vader appeared at the top of the stairs. Luke and Lily ignited identical blue blades before he ignited his red one. They took a cautious but bold step forward. Vader swung.  
They blocked the strike.   
"You have learned much, young ones," Vader said. "But you are not Jedi yet." He declared in a hiss.   
"We're full of surprises." Luke said arrogantly. Even though it was impossible to tell, they could have sworn Vader smirked at the remark.  
"So am I." Ruby said as she came into view and made a beeline for Lily, who barely blocked her attack.  
"Oh for- Hells below and stars above!" She exclaimed. She backflipped off the steps to meet back up with Luke.   
I think we screwed up. She told him through the Force.  
Ya think? He agreed with her. He tapped his leg five times, then three, then one.  
Abort, go left, now. They darted off. Luke had spotted a hallway. It ended in a room that looked like a ton of useless storage. Vader and Ruby had beaten them there.  
The siblings were pelted with object after object, blocking most, but still receiving new cuts and bruises. One hit a window and they were pulled out. They gripped onto the railing, and forced themselves back on the bridge that circled what seemed to be endless vents. They took their lightsabers and backed onto a narrow part that hung over emptiness.  
The four of them leaped into action again. The two Jedi grew desperate, and scored a hit on Vader's shoulder, and on Ruby's leg. They became angry. While it worked for Vader, it seemed to cloud Ruby's abilities. Lily disarmed and the crimson blade fell down to the abyss. Lily began helping Luke, who was having a very hard time with Vader. She fell back on training with Yoda, sessions with stolen holocrons, hints from the Force, and pure instinct. However, with both of them with the wound of loss still fresh in their minds, they were overpowered by the Sith. Luke was disarmed, or well, dehanded was more accurate, and let out a cry of pain, flesh and metal joining Ruby's blade. Vader struck at Lily, and caused a burn from her collarbone down her arm. Somehow, she bit back a scream and continued blocking the attacks. The lightsaber moved to quick for her to block. There was a searing pain, metal hit metal, and something was falling through the air. Lily looked down. Something was missing.  
Or what was commonly known as a hand.  
"Oh," Lily said, dazed. "That's-that's nice." She backed away toward Luke. Vader advanced, but it was not threatening this time.   
"You have not yet to discover your importance." He boomed. Then his voice changed. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father..." He trailed off. Lily swung around the pole to the lower part of the ledge.  
"He told us enough." She shouted angrily.  
"He told us you killed him." Luke accused.   
"No. I am your father." Lily's senses dulled. She heard Luke shout and Vader answer, "Search your feelings, you know it to be true." He insisted. Was that... desperation in his voice?   
Lily thought hard. She prayed it wasn't true, but all evidence said otherwise. The story, the hints, the complete answer from the Force, there was no lie in his words.   
So then, what's my sister's true name? Lily asked the Force.  
Leia. It answered.  
She snapped harshly back into reality and became aware of just how much pain she was in. She looked down, then to Luke. One tap.  
They let go.


	17. Chapter 17

They fell.   
A tunnel sucked them through, and they landed on an antenna. Lily turned on the commlink, careful not to drop it.   
"Ava." Her voice cracked. "We're gonna need that pickup now. Under the city." Luke was hanging on beneath her.   
They waited for wait felt like an eternity before the Falcon flew underneath them and they were helped in. Eli rushed to his fiance and the stranger-Calrissian, that was his name- went to Luke. They got them to the med-beds.   
"I'm going to help Ava." Calrissian told Eli. He left.  
"Eli-" Lily started.  
"Shh, darling. You look torn to shreds and missing a hand. Both of you are. Whatever it is, it can wait. Sleep." He kissed her forehead softly as she drifted off.   
Nightmare to dream.  
***  
Lily was in a room of mirrors, looking at herself. Well, several selves. Each one the same, but with slightly different touches, whether it was a scar or clothes. Each one branched out, living different lives that had different endings.  
There was one where her mother lived but her father was still lost, and she fought alongside her three children. One where both parents survived, easily overcoming the Empire. There was one where all of them belonged to the Dark Side. One where she had both parents, they were raised Jedi, one variation was with just her father, and one with just her mother. Both seemed like heaven to what she had here.   
They played out one by one, each one only giving bits and pieces, none of them ending.  
Until one pulled her in.  
She saw Tatooine, her childhood, Eli, Biggs, everyone. It played out just like her own life had. She saw the Death Star. Luke opened a door to reveal a girl in a white dress with chocolate brown buns on either side of her head. Leia. Alderaan, the planet nothing more than rocks floating through space. Ben, cut in half, nothing more than a pile of robes. Vader-her father- a monster in a suit. Her, Luke, Biggs, Wedge, in X-Wings flying to the space station.   
Biggs, shot down, now she realized that was truly the moment when she gave her life to the Rebellion. The lucky shot, the Death Star in a million and one fragments. Hoth, the battle that happened there. Dagobah, each one the same. Cloud City, Han lived. Suddenly Lily's heart ached for a life that could never happen. The same world-shattering news. Hanging precariously over certain death. No commlink, just a desperate plea for help.   
Tatooine again, this time with Jedi cloaks and new lightsabers. Jabba the Hutt, the room she only ever heard terrifying stories about.   
The droids, Leia, Chewie, all captured and imprisoned or enslaved, all to rescue Han from the frozen prison.   
A rancor, another beast only heard about in stories.   
Luke and Lily, Jedi robes and all.  
Han, free, alive.   
Yoda, dying. Luke asking about Vader.  
Your father he is. Echoed around the room.   
A second Death Star. A green forest planet-no, moon-Endor.   
Surrender. The Emperor. Near defeat. Success. A lightsaber fight.  
You can't turn us to the Dark Side.  
We are Jedi, like our father before us.   
Lightning. Pain. Worse pain than she had ever felt before. Confusion. Fear. Agony.  
Luke was crumpled. So was she.   
There was a burst of determination. She watched as she threw herself in front of Luke, taking the full blow of Sith Lightning.   
Brief triumph, defeated by crushing pain and so much darkness. She fell to the floor, lifeless.   
Luke was attacked again. A metallic shout.   
NO!   
The Emperor was thrown down, down the reactor core. Gone, in blue smoke.   
Vader, now Anakin was dying. The lightning destroyed his suit. Luke begged. He couldn't lose them both. Grief. Anakin had passed. The Death Star exploding again, a single ship flying away.  
Two burning pyres, one for Vader-Anakin- and one for her. Luke grieving both, Leia, Han, Eli, Chewie, only missing her.   
Victory. Mourning. Celebration. Sadness.   
Peace.   
***  
Lily snapped awake.   
"We're here." Eli said gently. "How are you?"  
I found out that the most evil man ever is my dad, he cut off Luke's and my hands, I just had the weirdest vision in a long history of weird visions, my head wants to explode, and everything hurts, but I'm great! Is what she didn't say.  
"I'm-" She said instead. She winced. "I'll get back to you." She looked around. "Where are we?"  
"Near Endor." He didn't notice her flinch at the name. "High Command has scouts over it, looking for an Imperial presence, or life of any kind."  
"Where's Luke?"  
"Med bay. Which is where I need to get you." He picked her up.  
"I can walk!" Eli raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."   
"Exactly."   
"And Ava?"   
"High Command. They already got our stories, and waiting 'til you and Luke have both hands again to grill you." Lily nodded against his chest.   
The next hour was a blur. Droids attached the life-like hand to the stump of a wrist. They ran tests to make sure all the synthetic nerves and wires worked correctly, and showed her how to open it in case it ever needed repairs in the field. Cuts were cleaned and bandaged, with a rather uncomfortable one stretching from Lily's neck to her wrist where the lightsaber had hit her. The siblings met up before going to see High Command. They clung to each other like it was the only thing keeping them from falling apart, and in some parts of the story it was.  
Everything was new. Everything different.  
Everything...wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so proud of that vision/nightmare. Did you like it? What do you think about this chapter?


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily does a little growing up in this chapter.

They explained what happened the best they could, without giving away the news, or Yoda. The questioners seemed skeptical at best, and when they were finally able to go, it took every ounce of control Lily had left to keep her from running out.   
Han was buried the next morning. Ava didn't say a word to the two Skywalkers, only gave them a dirty look and a glare that said 'this is your fault' plain as day. A base was being built nearby. They called it Solo base. Lily was glad her friend, and in many ways her brother, would be remembered.   
A week passed. The base was functional now. Lily woke up early, screaming into her pillow, seeing Han die, seeing Luke die, seeing everyone she ever cared about die. More memories that didn't belong to her clouded her thoughts.  
She rarely slept anymore.   
She had found a long stick she used to keep up her form with until she finished her lightsabers. She was making two, it seemed in the other lives it worked well for her.   
She disappeared into the woods for hours at a time, and would return with scratches and cuts from tree branches, and her face tear-stained. No one asked her about it.   
Luke didn't handle the days well either, but much better than his sister. He locked himself in empty rooms for hours, meditating and building a new lightsaber.   
His was finished much earlier than Lily's.  
***  
Three months passed. Luke and Lily felt a shift in the Force that could only mean one thing. Master Yoda had died. When it happened, they looked to each other in sorrow, and went on their way. They didn't speak much anymore either.  
Ava didn't speak to either of them. Until she saw Lily at Han's grave.  
"Who gave you the right to be here?" She accused.  
"He was my friend too. Last time I checked, that gives me a good reason to visit his grave." Lily said defeatedly. She didn't want to snap.  
"Friend." She snorted. "You got him killed." Lily looked at Ava. "Don't give me that. Vader was after you and Luke. If you two hadn't-"  
"Hadn't what?" That was it. The thread that had been forming broke. "If we hadn't hired him to take us to Alderaan, all those years ago? If we hadn't somehow convinced him to stay? If we hadn't gone to train, so we could help better? If we hadn't come at all? If we didn't exist?" Lily had tears streaming from her eyes as her voice broke. She lowered her tone. "You don't think that every night, I see him die? That I don't spend every waking moment wishing it hadn't happened? That I don't keep myself as busy as possible, so I don't see his face, so I don't crawl into a hole I can't get out of? You think I don't blame myself? I wish I could say things were different, I really, really do. But it happened. And I'm trying, I'm trying, so hard to make things right, but I can't when you force me to relive it. Goodbye, Ava." She turned to leave.  
"The famous Luke and Lily Skywalker, the last of the Jedi religion, poster children for the Rebel Alliance, can't even save their friends." Lily stopped cold and closed her eyes. She felt another tear begin to fall. She couldn't bring herself to speak before leaving the gravesite, and a long-time friend. She didn't notice the tree fall, or the rock split. She went back to the base.  
***   
She had dried her face by the time Mothma stopped her in the halls.  
"Commander. I've been meaning to talk with you. Walk with me?"  
"Of course, Senator."  
"You've been keeping yourself very busy. New weapons, a built ship, I'm guessing you've tinkered with the hand?" She tried to make the young girl less stiff. It worked a little.  
"Yeah, I added a lockpick. I always need one." Mothma smiled.  
"Your mother was like that." Lily perked up.   
"You knew my mother?" She asked.  
"I knew your father too, but I knew your mother better. We worked together in the Senate often. She became a friend."  
"What was she like?" Lily looked eager.  
"Brave. She walked into warzones without a second thought. Passionate, she could change the minds of millions. Caring. Prepared, like you and Luke. She always had at least one blaster and lockpick on her everywhere, even on diplomatic, peaceful meetings, for that 'just in case'. I see a lot of her in you and your brother, actually."   
"Really?" Lily felt a surge of pride and amazement. She didn't know much about her mother, except she was a queen and a senator, and even that was recent knowledge.   
"Oh, yes. She always kept a level head. Luke seems to inherit that stronger on a daily basis, but you have it for the stressful decisions and hard choices." Lily looked in amazement. She had a knack for having anything you needed. You do too. When either one of you are passionate about something, you could sway anyone to believe in anything. If anyone dares harm someone you Skywalkers care about, then they better be afraid, because then nothing can stand in your way. Though, I suppose that's a trait your father had as well." Mothma put a hand on Lily's shoulder. "Lily, listen to me. What happened to Han was not your fault."   
"I-I know, it's just hard to not believe it when-"  
"When everyone looks at you like it is." Lily looked at her incredulously. "Don't think I can't tell. I was a senator, part of the job is reading people."  
"Ava won't speak to us. Unless she's lecturing us on how we caused it all." A tear began to form. Mothma reached to wipe it away, when Lily flinched. "Sorry."  
"Did something else happen?" She asked gently.  
"No. It's just relapses, I guess. From nearly three years ago. The stress and everything caused them." Mothma nodded in understanding. She changed the subject.  
"You must be wondering why you haven't been given any assignments."  
"Not really. Most people think our heads are all there, that we need more time to heal so we don't snap on a mission. Plus, practically all of High Command is waiting for us to announce our defection. I know exactly why." Lily said. It was Mothma's turn to look at her. "Reading people is part of my job too."  
"Why not arrest you two now?"  
"Not enough evidence. Even people who are certain about it can't prove it."  
"You are clever. And they wouldn't make a move against you. You don't realize how many supporters you have, myself included. I have tried to argue a case for you, but they don't seem to listen to me."  
"I understand. Thank you. I will wait, because if the longer I stay out of action decreases their doubt, it will be worth it. I will wait as long as it takes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... It's slow, I know, but a necessary filler. If such things exist.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY!!! I had a very long night so I couldn't get this in on time. This is the one chapter with Star Wars Rebels characters, shouldn't be any spoilers for it, and if you don't want to read that part, you aren't missing a whole lot, to be honest. Enjoy!

Luke and Lily were called into High Command three days later. Since their talk, Lily had been much closer to her old self, even humming or singing while working on some of the old droids that didn't work anymore, even though she knew it wouldn't last. Something always happened. Lily knew it would be the last time they ever saw the base, at least for a very long time. They walked into the room where pretty much every leader was waiting for them, including Ava, Eli, Wedge, Chewie, and Mon Mothma, and four guards who stood by the doors as they shut. 

Hostility was radiating from almost everyone. 

"So, you finally found a tiny dark spot in our lives that you can say is proof of betrayal?" Lily said.

"What?" Luke looked at her. 

"They've been wondering how long it'd take us to defect and sell them out."

"I wouldn't say it's  _ small _ ." Ava spat.

"Yes, thank you, Princess." An officer said. "So, children of Darth Vader, then?" There were audible gasps from around the room.

"Of course, you find the one little bit of questionable information. Of  _ course _ . How did you even find that out?" Lily asked. Luke let her take charge.

"We have spies at all levels. Apparently, they do too. Cloud City, perfect cover for a meeting with dear old dad, isn't it?" Lily felt her barely restrained anger rise. 

"That place was the first time we had a one-on-one, well, two-on-two, encounter with Vader and Ruby. He cut off our hands. Doesn't that seem slightly aggressive for an arranged, peaceful business meeting? That was the first time we heard, and for all intents and purposes, our father and Vader are two separate beings."

"And yet you emitted it from your reports." 

"Oh yeah, how would that have gone? Hey, our best friend is dead, and Vader is technically our dad!" 

"You're grasping at air."

"No. You are. Who our father is doesn't determine who we are. I don't care what our blood says, we choose our own path. You have never doubted us before, not at the Death Star, not on countless missions that went horribly wrong, not on the ones where we were the only ones left. I don't understand where your mistrust came from, but it is placed wrongly. The Alliance is it for us, and we would never, no matter what happens to us, betray our friends. Even if they don't consider themselves one anymore." Many in the room looked conflicted, but the guards grabbed their arms anyway. Lily looked to Luke, who looked sorrowful but nodded anyway. Lily found Mothma's gaze in the crowd. "I'm sorry." They pushed the guards off and ran.

***

"The ship you built, does it work?" Luke asked as they ran to the hangar.

"Yes." They ran to it, and Lily powered up the engines for the first time. They took off, out of the planets orbit, and away from the Rebellion. Lily was still sitting at the dash when Luke came in. He sat in the co-pilot's seat.

"What's the plan?" He asked.

"Why do you assume I have the plan?"Luke smiled at her, but it was missing a lot of the happiness it used to have, but retained the playfulness.

"Because, for one, you knew what they were planning on doing for weeks, and you make up plans for the most ridiculous and unlikely scenarios, I would be extremely surprised if you didn't have one for this. Second, you always have at least a vague idea of what to do next." Lily smiled briefly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"We need supplies. Specifically food and fuel. I have an emergency supply of rations and water, and a small backup on fuel, but if we are in space very often, we'll need more."

"Where were you thinking?"

"Lothal. It's small, but it's liberated and the Empire used to have a factory on it. At the very least they have some food and fuel. The Rebellion has a small independent group on it from time to time, but it will be the easiest to get in and out of."

"One problem, credits."

"I got that too." She pulled out a bag that looked nearly full from her boot.

"How- nevermind. Lothal it is. It's what, six hours?"

"Meh, more like three or four." Luke looked impressed. "What? She was going to be  _ fast _ ."

"Of course. Disguises?" 

"Closet in the bunk room. Tan cloaks. Or a poncho if you want. I'm going to... meditate or something." 

"Lily Skywalker, meditate  _ willingly?" _  Luke teased.

"Shut up." Luke left and closed the door behind him. Lily sank down to the floor and closed her eyes. "Okay, anything to show me?" She muttered to no one in particular.

A room came into view at the end of a hallway. She walked to it, and the door swung open. A tall man, with sandy blond hair, stood by a window in Jedi robes. The window overlooked a city.

"Sad, isn't it?" He said. "Sad, how two wars and an oppressive ruler can turn such a bright planet into something so dark." He turned and Lily saw a glimmer of amusement in his blue eyes. Blue eyes identical to Luke's and her own. "Coruscant." He clarified.

"Who are you?" Lily asked him.

"The what should've been of the what should've been."

"That's not-that doesn't even make sense!" The man laughed.

"I know. I hated it when the Force darted around answers too, but it is fun to watch the confusion." He chuckled a little more. "C'mon, I know you're smart. Who am I?"  _ Sandy hair, identical blue eyes, Jedi- _

"Father." She whispered. 

"It's me." She ran to him and he pulled her close.

"How are you here?"

"All I am now is a constant reminder in Vader's soul. I had a choice to come to you or Luke, and you were the one who meditated, and could do more with the information."

"How? Luke and I are both pretty stuck in the same spot." 

"But that's not fully true. You have the knowledge of a thousand lives." 

"It's too much for me. I can't deal with it now. Not so soon after-" 

"I know, child. I know. But maybe it will help with your predicament. Do you know what you are going to do?" 

"No." Lily laughed bitterly. "We're headed to Lothal, because it's safest, but still extremely risky. We need to get supplies, find somewhere to get credits, all while not getting captured by the Rebellion or the Empire. I'm  _ lost.  _ I have no idea where to go from here, and Luke is looking to me because I've always known what to do, but I honestly don't even know where to start."

"Well, you have enough skills, they need mechanics on any planet with any metal parts, and you know where to begin. As for risky, has that ever stopped you?"

"No, I suppose not." Lily grinned a true, real smile. The room began shaking. "What's going on?"

"You're vulnerable. He's trying to breach your mind. Go!"

"Who?"

"Sidious!" Lily snapped out of the vision.

***

The console was beeping. They had arrived at Lothal. They donned the cloaks and left the ship, keeping their head down and weapons covered. Food and fuel. If there isn't enough, fuel is priority. We have enough at the moment for two lightspeed jumps, so one capsule should be fine." Luke nodded. Lily was in her 'leader mode', as she always did on missions.

They walked into the city, ignoring their senses going off every second. When they got to the city, they understood why. The Ghost Crew was there. They had met shortly after leaving Yavin 4. They turned to go the opposite way, but of course, their leader, Hera, had spotted them, and recognized them. The crew, which consisted of Hera Sydulla, Zeb Orrelios, and Sabine Wren, walked to them, quickly, but naturally as possible. They caught up, and grabbed their arms.

"Stay quiet, come." Hera said. They steered into an alleyway. "I have to hand it to you, it's bold, coming here. You knew we might have been. Why come to Lothal?"

"We needed supplies. Lothal was the closest that didn't have an Imperial presence. They want us dead more than the Alliance. At best, I thought we could avoid you, at worst, hoped you wouldn't try to shoot us on the spot."

"How do we know you aren't lying?" Sabine asked. Lily thought about it for a second.

"I guess you don't. You have no way of telling if we're telling the truth or not, and all logic is saying we aren't, because the Alliance has been a part of you longer than you've even known we existed. You met us once, and that was when we were much younger, and I bet we didn't look very threatening. But the Alliance says we defected, there's no doubt you've heard the Empire talk about us at least once, and all that says we are dangerous."

"Lily, I'm not sure if that's helping." Luke told her. She ignored him.

"All that aside, this war is because of our family's mistakes, and the Jedi's blindness. I have no doubt the Alliance can win, but they can't end it. Only we can, and we will. We have to, because it is the legacy left for us. We're good. We can do a lot of crazy, impossible things, but even we can't stop a war and save a galaxy from a prison cell, or dead. I know you want this to end. We are the only ones who can make sure it doesn't happen again." Lily paused. They said nothing. "Look, I know you only met us the once, when we were young, stupid, and unbelievably reckless. Our family had just been taken from us, leaving us with only the Alliance. We were prepared to spend our entire lives to the cause, and still are. Why would we give that up?"

"Maybe you always worked for your father." Lily sighed in frustration. 

"Are you- People find out your dad is a Sith and any good you did is erased. Do you not remember the Death Star? Do you not remember Luke being the one who fired, causing it to go up in a giant explosion? Do you not remember how big of a loss that was for the Empire, or how big of a victory it was for the Alliance? Or the missions, the battles, or the victories we were a part of? Everything we sacrificed for the Alliance, does that no longer hold any merit?" Lily's voice had grown stronger. "Whether you let us leave or not, we are getting what we need, we are leaving, and we are finding a way to end this Force-forsaken war, Alliance or not." Lily ended. Hera looked at the two of them.

"You haven't run, or attacked. Go. Keep in mind, High Command will have people looking all over for you."

"Thank you."

***

They left the planet.

"What's next?" Luke asked her.

"I was thinking Naboo. It was mom's home planet. She might still have a few living relatives there. We could go to the more rural areas. There's not a big Imperial presence in that part of the planet. We could train in peace, and plan on what to do."

"Well, I trust your judgment. I'm going to run through some forms, maybe meditate."  _ I trust you _ . It was something they always said to each other, to remind the other that they'd always have their back.

"Alright. I'm just going to sit here. Think." Luke nodded and left. Lily entered the coordinates.

***

They hadn't been in hyperspace long when the console beeped, meaning they were being tracked. She pulled them out of lightspeed, expecting a bounty hunter, a quick skirmish, and back on their way.

That plan went out the window, because they were perfectly in line with a Star Destroyer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought that everything was going to be fine. MUHAHAHAHA.


	20. Chapter 20

"No! No! Son of Hutt!" Lily swore. Luke ran in.

"What's going-" His eyes found the Destroyer. "Is that-?"

"The  _ Executor, _ our  _ lovely _ father's flagship, which has us in a tractor beam. Make sure you have your lightsaber, but we won't win if we fight."

"We'll surrender, then. We don't need to die today." Luke tried to keep his tone light, but worry sank in. 

_ Not ready. Definitely not ready.  _ Ran through both minds. What was said aloud was different.

"Hey, we'll get through this. We always do." He tried to reassure. The unspoken words were  _  If we don't, we won't be alive to see it. _

"This is different. We both almost died last time, when Ruby was only there for half the fight. There's undoubtedly going to be a ton of Stormtroopers, and we're definitely going to be taken to the Emperor. Even that's not the scary part! What if we die, or fall, or-" Luke cut her off.

"We won't, simple as that. Us Skywalkers are too stubborn. I won't  _ let _ either one of us be alone, I promise.

But saying it didn't make him believe it. 

***

Above them, the fallen Skywalkers sensed the pair. 

_ Good. _ Vader thought, an emotionless smirk playing at his lips. _ Soon, they will see the Emperor, and embrace their destiny. _

Slowly, tediously, the ship landed in the hangar.

Luke and Lily stood on the ramp, and squeezed each other's hands as a last attempt to soothe the other. They struggled to contain their raging emotions. The ramp lowered, revealing Vader, Ruby behind him,  and at least a hundred troopers. Whether it was because Vader thought they would be a threat or just because it might be a good show was in the air.

"Seize them." Vader commanded in his cold tone. Six troopers rushed up, pulled their arms back roughly, cuffed their wrists, and held on to each elbow. The remaining two flanked the pair, and Lily stiffened instinctively at the blaster trained on their heads. They were shoved forward and pushed to their knees at Vader's feet, who was now examining their lightsabers. "Young ones." He acknowledged.  "It seems you didn't put up much of a fight."

"Fighting is a Skywalker thing. Suicide isn't." Luke said.

"Didn't seem that way on Bespin."

"Things change." Lily spoke. He didn't respond. Lily took the opportunity to search his face under the hood, desperately looking for a moment of humanity, a glimpse of Anakin Skywalker. She found none, yet the resemblance between him, herself, and Luke startled her. He still had the same set in his chin she had seen Luke have, the same hair color Luke had, albeit with specks of gray. His face held dozens of little scars, the most prominent over his eye, most likely from a vibroblade or lightsaber. The most noticeable, and possibly the most intimidating was the eyes, which used to be the brightest blue she and Luke had both inherited, though Lily's had dimmed from the knowledge she wished she didn't have. No, these eyes held the flames from the lava, the heartbreak and betrayal of a man she had as a father. These eyes were hateful, red bleeding to gold like the fiery planet where a simple choice could have changed everything.

Leia still said nothing as the troopers hauled her siblings to their feet, nothing she walked with her father as they were taken to the cells. Nothing as her father went back to examining the three new lightsabers.  

***

It took thirty-six hours to get to Coruscant. It was the quietest thirty-six hours Lily had ever known. Luke and she had been separated, and she spent the entire time meditating, trying to get answers where there were none. They communicated through the Force, discussing their plan. They had decided they couldn't prepare for what they couldn't predict. 

Finally, the ship came out of hyperspace and they were lead to a shuttle. Vader's shuttle, where he and Leia already waited. Lily was controlling her shaking, just barely, and Luke wrapped his arms around her protectively, trying to reassure without words. 

"I hope for your sake you are prepared to accept your destiny." Vader spoke to the silence.

_ I'm sure we have. _ Lily thought.  _ Just not in the way you want. _

The rest of the trip passed in the silence, and the silence remained on the planet, all the way to the throne room.

"Welcome, Lord Vader, Lady Ruby. Young Jedi." He said the last bit as an insult. "I'm afraid I have a mission for you, but I will call for you when the project nears completion. Unless, of course, your troublesome children will cooperate without persuasion?" He directed to Luke and Lily.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific." Luke mocked slightly. Lily fought a smirk. They knew exactly what he was talking about. 

"Fulfill your destiny. Join the Dark Side with your father and sister.

"No." They answered in sync.

"Very well, then. Vader, Ruby, you leave now." They bowed and left. "I will give you one last chance to make this easy on yourself, Skywalkers. Turn."

"Never." Lily said simply.

"We are Jedi, like our father was before us." Luke added, and watched as more malice and hatred grew in Palpatine's eyes. 

"So be it,  _ Jedi. _ " He snarled. His hands sparked-quite literally-to life, and he was shooting lightning at the once still pair. 

Their bodies immediately fell to the floor in agony. Force, how was it even possible? But there was so little they knew, much less understood about the Light Side, and the Dark Side was a whole new realm.

The cries of pain subsided with the jolts as they fought for breath.

"Believe me,  _ Skywalkers _ , if you don't give in, by the time you'd do anything to make the pain stop, my offer will have long expired, and you will  _ beg _ for death long before you meet your pitiful end." He growled.

Lily vaguely remembered being dragged to a cell, and hitting the cold stone floor before falling unconscious, her final thought being Palpatine's words.

She couldn't help but think they were directed to her.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simply put, this chapter is where things get darker and graphic. Because they are in an awful situation.

"So what now? I've been thinking for hours and I've got nothing." Luke asked his sister when she woke.

"I have no clue. No one's coming for us, so we can't just wait it out. If we bide our time, we might be able to find a way out, but by the time we're ready, we might not be able to take it. There's no good option, especially without our lightsabers." Lily said. No choice had a good chance of survival.

"Well, we have to try."

"I suppose we do." The guards from the previous day took them to a rectangular room. This one was covered in gray stone and dark stains, from which she guessed with disgust was from the previous occupants. The Emperor stood in the middle and gave a sadistic grin.

"Leave us." He said. The guards obeyed. "Changed your minds, yet?"

"Why would we have?" Lily snapped.

"Very well." His hands balled into fists, rendering them immobile. Chains began coming from the floor and ceiling, wrapping around their wrists and ankles, leaving their hands above their heads and uncomfortably in the middle. They didn't miss the manic glint in Palpatine's-well,  _ Sidious's _ \- eyes, nor the double meaning.

_ You are at the Dark Side's mercy now. _

Sidious attacked their minds suddenly.

"Mmm, so strong and determined. So powerful and brave." He commented. "Such firm shields. I wonder, how long until they shatter?"

"However long you think, then add eighty years." Lily gasped out.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if mental shields stay in death." Luke agreed.

"A sharp tongue then? That's always the first to disappear."

"As our father's did?" Lily countered. Sidious continued his mental assault and added short jolts of electricity.

"He is obedient, and does what he is needed to."

"For now." Luke challenged. Sidious responded with the longest and most intense wave of lightning yet. The pair refused to cry out.

"Stubborn and strong-willed as well?"

"We are Skywalkers." Luke said

"I think it's a requirement." Lily added.

"Then why not join the Dark Side, which calls you? Fulfill your destiny?"

"We won't betray our friends." Luke said.

"Loyalty like that will be your downfall." Luke and Lily said nothing this time, remember the events of--was it only a day and a half ago? "Oh, that's right. Luke and Lily were declared traitors to the Rebellion after proof was found that they defected."

"Yeah, you'd think if we defected someone would have told us." Lily said sarcastically.

"I have to admit, even  _ I  _  was surprised."

"That doesn't sound hard." Luke said.

"I have to ask, whose side are you on?"

"The side of a Jedi." Lily declared.

"Indeed. Let's see just how long it takes to change that." The chains tightened, digging into her wrists, and Lily stiffened. Memories of a torture nearly three years ago threatened to spill over. Sidious shot more lighting at them and resumed the mental attacks. This time, she did cry out, unprepared and overwhelmed.

She didn't know how long the assault lasted, only that by the end her throat was raw, blood was dripping down her arm, and her muscles ached. The chains released, and they fell. They were dragged back to the cell, where they fell asleep almost immediately. Lily had no idea how they were going to escape if they could barely walk. 

*** 

Lily fought sleep after the third day. The days were filled with pain, and the nights were nothing but flashbacks of Imperial cells, blood, and more pain. The physical effects of sleep deprivation were noticeable by the end of the week. 

It had been two weeks, and nothing happened except mental attacks and lightning. However, she could feel that about to change. 

They were escorted into the same room, and had their binders released, like every time, but no chains held them in place. It only added anxiety instead of bringing relief. Sidious's back was turned.

"I must say, I expected you to run."

"Sorry to disappoint, but-" Luke said

"We may be rash and reckless, but we're not stupid." Lily finished.

"Perhaps." He turned around, holding a sphere. He levitated it out in front of him and electrocuted it. The amulet began to glow red and black, and spun. it shot two beams of red light at the Skywalkers, who were momentarily paralyzed. When the second light hit, they were suspended in the air. Lily was then slammed down to her hands and knees, when chains wrapped around her, forcing her to her back as she thrashed and screamed in pain while trying to evade the crushing darkness. 

What felt like years later, the pain stopped, and Lily turned her head to see the last thing she expected. 

" _ Leia? _ " Luke and Lily croaked. 

"Well well, what happened?" He looked at the brown-haired girl on the floor.

"My daughter has betrayed us." Vader said. Rage emitted from him strongly.

"Has she now?" He walked toward the three triplets. "How precious, all three children at my feet." Lily found the strength to glare. "Take all of them to their cell. Our  _ chat _ for the day is over." Faintly, Lily remembered an invisible hand carrying her, and when she hit the floor, she welcomed the nightmares that came with sleep.

***

When Lily woke up from her restless sleep, the realization of who was in the cell with her came back.

"Are you okay?" She asked her sister, the protective instincts came out.

"I'm good. Luke?"

"That makes two of us. Lily?" 

"Make it three."

"Right." Leia began. "Plan for getting out?" 

"I don't think there is one. I've checked." Lily sounded defeated.

"Bantha fodder. The Lily Skywalker I chased halfway across the galaxy always seems to find a way."

"True, and I can pick many locks, but not a facial and DNA recognition one." 

"If that's all that's stopping you, you have me now. I bet they haven't deleted me from the system. What was your plan for the last time you got yourselves captured?" She asked. "I've seen the holos, there is no way that was improvised."

"It was though. We know the basic layout, and we've ended up doing it quite a few times, so we know the basics, but there are enough circumstantial things you have to watch out for, plans go out the window pretty fast."

"Mostly because of you." Luke teased.

"Yeah, but a lot of them were on you, too." She shot back.

" _ Anyway, _ " Leia interrupted the banter, even though she was smiling a little. "Father and Sidious are going to an event tomorrow night, and won't visit. It's only been a few hours since I got here, so we can get out until then anyway, because they'll have extra guard. If we get out, tomorrows the time. "

"How? Besides the door?"

"There's a secret passage in this cell. Easy." They fell into silence for a moment, before another point came to Leia's mind. "You two always seemed to communicate. Was it all through the Force?"

"Only if we couldn't see each other." Lily explained. "When we were little, we made a code, and it came in handy when we joined the Alliance."

"We could probably teach you a few things, not all of it, but the basics." Luke said. 

"I'd like that." Leia answered.  They taught her what would be useful the next day, and ended up trading stories from everywhere they had been.

Lily looked at her siblings, who had fallen asleep, and smiled slightly, one thought crossing her mind.

_ We're going to be okay. _

That night was the best sleep Lily had in months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is getting fast-paced, but it would be extremely boring otherwise. Hey, things look okay now!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me feels.

Sidious grinned sickeningly at his apprentices. 

"Lord Vader, I hope any personal feelings you have for them do not interfere?"

"They mean nothing to me if they refuse their destinies."

"Good, good. Lady Ruby, what is your progress with your-siblings?" Leia smirked.

"Right where we want them, my Master."

"Excellent. Return to them, I'd hate for our plans to be spoiled." She bowed and left. "Soon all of Skywalker, from his family to his legacy will be destroyed." Sidious smirked at Vader. "To think, all this because of a naive boy."

***

"How much longer till they leave?" Lily whispered to Leia.

"Not long. Believe me, we'll feel it."

Silence fell, until finally, they felt the massive weight of the Dark Side lift, even if it was ever so slightly.

"Now we go." Leia said, hitting the brick that opened the wall into the passageway. The tunnel was much longer than they thought, and when they left it, Lily looked through the Force to find out where they were and where to go. Luke and Leia followed her, knowing she was a good leader with good instincts. They paused when the hallway had two paths.

"Which way?" She asked.

"Right." Leia whispered back.

"Are you certain?"

"It's the quickest path."

"Something's off." Lily muttered to herself. "Are you two still there?" 

"We're right behind you." Luke reassured. They continued.

The hallway ended in a large room with no door in sight. Lily took a few cautious steps forward when a crimson blade stopped her path. Sidious.

"Going somewhere?" He sneered. Lily turned, only to be blocked by Vader. She spun around again, only to be met with her sister's lightsaber.

"Leia." She whispered. Heartbreak crept into her voice. She vaguely wondered where Luke was. Had he gone left? Had he gotten out? The door she left behind opened, and Lily tried walking to it. She wasn't sure what stopped her; it was a tie between the face and the lightsaber.

Because the face of Luke Skywalker was illuminated with green light, and the lightsaber pointed to her chest.

"No." She whispered. Then the full reality set in. "NO!" She cried. Luke smirked, something always warm and loving, now cold and emotionless.

"Yes." He said simply. Lily figured out what she had to do. 

"No." She said more firmly. She walked away from the lightsaber and got several feet away before invisible ropes started creeping around her neck. 

"Stop, or I'll tighten." She did so.

"Why? Why give in?"

"Don't you see? The Jedi and the light only ever held us back. My power has  _ doubled _ in the Dark Side."

"I never thought you cared about  _ power, _ Luke."

"No, Luke didn't. I am Darth Praedo."

"Why don't you take her to a  _ different _ cell and teach her what happens when you try to escape?" Sidious suggest-commanded.

"Yes, Master." Lily hated that. Hated how  _ wrong   _ It was. Lily struggled against the bonds on her chest and arms, which burned. "I wouldn't do that. Now, come."

"Why should I?" The ropes simply burned again, leaving her no choice but to obey.

Once in the cell, Luke wasted no time in sending punches and kicks to her chest, stomach, anywhere to cause pain. She refused to cry out, but she also refused to fight him. He left, leaving her to crawl against the cold wall. 

_ Ben. _ She tried to send through the Force.  _ Master Yoda. Help me. Please. _ There was no answer, and even the Force seemed distant and cold. She curled in on herself and tears pricked at her eyes. She didn't try to stop the stream.

***

It was only a few hours later when Lily was hanging by wrists again, for the first time, she was alone. Luke stalked up to her and suddenly punched her sore chest. She whimpered slightly. Luke grabbed her chin while she tried to pull away. She couldn't bear to look at the blue eyes that had turned gold and red.

"Pathetic." He spat at her. A table was next to the rival pair with several lethal-looking instruments. Luke picked up a knife. "Father and I are allowed to give you a few new scars before our master comes in to do whatever he pleases." He paused. "I know you better than anyone. I know the Dark Side calls you so strongly. Why fight it? I can feel how much it pains you to be against me."

"Someone has to save your skin." Lily whispered.

"Suit yourself. But it will be you who needs saving." She closed her eyes tightly, but still winced when the knife pushed into her temple, and slid along the curve of her eye. "You know, the Rebellion will be destroyed soon. I told them where they are. The Emperor has an entire fleet on their way. Within a day, they will be no more." He cut along her cheekbone. He left. Vader came in.

"You are much like Anakin and Padme. Strong, stubborn, resilient. But reckless. Emotional. Attached." He looked her over, the scar on her collarbone catching his eye. "I remember that. Let's make it a set." He ignited his lightsaber and pressed it under the old scar, leaving a new burn. Lily cried out in pain. "Too hot?" He picked up a new blade, and pressed it against the angry spot. It was colder than ice, and as painful as the heat, bringing no relief to the burn. She cried out again. Vader stood aside.

Sidious came in, floating a large bucket of ice water with him. The chains released, and Vader shoved her over to the Sith's feet. Sidious took her red-blonde hair in his grip, and pulled her face back, revealing the new scars and the broken resolution in her eyes that managed to keep a fragment of fire. 

"Oh, how you've fallen." He said to her, before shoving her face down into the water. The cold water stung at the cuts, and she nearly lost consciousness. "Have you decided to join us, yet?"

" _ E chu ta." _ She told him. Her voice was weak, but it held the same amount of venom. He tutted at her.

" _ Language. _ Did no one teach you manners?" He pushed her under again. Her lungs began to burn, helped along with her very bruised ribs. He let her up just long enough for her to take a quick breath. Under the water again, he sent electricity through the girl's small, fragile body. Lily bit back a scream. She wanted to give up, to end it all, and it would be  _ so easy _ , but she knew she had to keep fighting, even if it was only for pride. 

He finally released her, and left her choking on the floor. She was alone, truly alone, for the first time.

The Rebellion had left them. She could live with that, she had survived nineteen years without them, after all.

Luke had left her. They had been separated before, leaving the other worried and scared.

And yet, without one, the other was always constant. Han, Eli, Ava, even Chewie, and Wedge were always there when Luke wasn't, which wasn't often. Now they all thought them traitors, except for Eli, Chewie, and Mothma, who had told her so. But they were outnumbered.

As for Luke... what happened there still puzzled her. Everything was as she would've expected until it wasn't. She felt a strong urge to meditate, and she complied. 

***

Lily was shown two days ago, through different eyes. She was off to the side, watching her past self and brother thrash in pain. Luke had recovered first. Leia walked in and nodded at Sidious, who gave a motion to Vader, who gently, but still aggressively pushed her to the ground. Luke sat up almost immediately, his eyes flashing the color of their father's before going back to blue. She couldn't help but notice how his entire demeanor changed.

_ The sphere did this. _ She thought. Then a worrying idea came to her. Its purpose was clear; corrupt.  _ I must have more darkness than Luke did, so why didn't it work on me? _

Somehow that thought was more worrying than anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SORRY. But fun fact: Praedo means robber in Latin. PLEASE DON'T KILL ME. So, two more chapters, and then a sequel.
> 
> muhahahaha


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, only one more chapter after this. Um... this one is very dark and is mostly the one that makes me wonder why and how I know this. And if I'm a psychopath or not.

Lily had never been good at meditation. She simply didn't have enough patience. It was always Luke's strong point. However, after her vision, she continued to meditate, hoping for answers on how to save her family. She couldn't help but notice that the Dark cloud wasn't affecting her focus whatsoever. Wasn't the Dark Side supposed to muddle a Jedi's vision? Had she already fallen, without her even noticing? No, even if she had, she would never, ever, help Sidious. She felt him approach.

"The sphere. That is what made Luke fall?" It was more a statement than a question.

"You figured it out. Yes, it has the power to corrupt even the purest souls. I do wonder why it had no effect on you. Perhaps it has to do with your parallel lives?" Lily's blood ran cold, though she made sure it didn't show.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Her voice wavered at the end. 

"I think you do. That's why you meditate constantly, to see if any of those lives can help you now. Though it seems none of them were this stupid." As he spoke, Lily felt herself being lifted by the chains. She opened her eyes. She never told anyone, even Luke, about the visions, or the lives, and yet this... _ monster _ knew. He knew she knew of thousands of alternate paths.

She was so lost in thought she didn't see the lightwhip go up, or down, but felt the electric shocks wrap around her torso, the tiny teeth biting her skin. A scream tore through her, and at that moment she realized how little she actually cared about anything. Luke had abandoned her, her friends abandoned her, her masters refused her calls, and she couldn't save her family. They may as well have been dead. She knew she was going to be stuck in the stone prison. She wasn't foolish enough to think she could take on all of them. The whip struck her again.

_ HELP ME! _ She sent to no one who was listening.  _ Was the only reason you kept me alive was so I could die here? _ The whip had left welts on her stomach and lower back. It came down faster and harder, again and again, leaving cuts that burned. Another one cut her jaw.

Sidious moved behind her, smirking evilly, seeing all the scars and bruises covering her. The whip struck her back several times, leaving deep gashes. She felt the whip wrap around her legs, leaving spiral burns. 

It became too much, and she dropped to the floor gasping, welcoming the darkness that promised sleep.

***

This continued for nearly two more months. Lily had no way of measuring time, the sessions longer, more brutal, and more frequent.

Every time a  fatal wound was inflicted, which was surprisingly often, Sidious would heal it, ever so slightly, to keep her from Death's clutches. He stopped releasing the chains after the first two weeks of Luke's fall. 

When he walked to the girl, the chains no longer had to spring to life, and neither did the sparky girl they contained. 

Lily Skywalker barely moved anymore, every time she did caused more pain, and she was left with flinches, and cries of pain. She was barely recognizable anymore, the three months of torture and captivity taking their toll. Her hair which had already been long, was near her knees, unruly and caked with blood and grime. Her lips her chapped and bloodstained from splitting. Her slender frame had shrunk more, her ribs visible through her tattered clothes that hung off loosely. Her face was sunken in, and scars, bruises, burns, and welts littered her body. 

The most noticeable was the eyes, the eyes that used to hold such a strong fire, only intensified with every insult, curse, or swear, held only a firm resignation, yet still managed to contain a spark to light a rare insult. 

All Skywalkers had very bright Force signatures, and Luke and Lily used to have nearly identical ones until the boy turned to the Dark. Now he had a similar one to Leia, and Lily's had dimmed, covered by a cloud of Darkness, trying to seep out the last bit of life she had, and extinguish the last bit of light in the galaxy. But the girl was still holding on, even if the once-lethal Jedi was as dangerous as a fly.

Sidious had grown frustrated with how little of a reaction he got as he walked to her. No fear, no trembling, just the same blank stare. He decided to do something different. 

"Your spirit is broken, no matter what you try to perceive." She said nothing. She never responded to his taunts. Pressure built up in her ankle, and she shut her eyes, preparing for what came.  _ Crack. _ The bone broke. He continued up her leg and the other one after that. She barely so much as whimpered. She couldn't help but gasp and cry out when he started breaking ribs.

He continued breaking every bone, resulting in ragged breaths and an even more painful position. "That will make this especially fun." He pressed against her shields, for the first time in a long time, and they broke almost immediately. Lily whimpered at the snap of her mind. Sidious delved into her mind and manipulated the Force around her, and in her, adequately. 

All of Lily's cuts and scars, from any and all of her lives, from long before the Rebellion to the ones that hadn't even happened yet. She felt every fiber of bone break again. She felt Luke and Leia's betrayal, the heartbreak and sadness it caused her. The months of torture came back all at once. The hours of electricity, the sting of the whip, the new injuries being added every second intensified, making past pain seem like a tickle compared to  _ this. _

"Please." Her voice came out weak and broken. "PLEASE!" She screamed. Her voice cracked. Sidious paused his relentless attacks. "I'll-I'll do any-anything you wa-want, j-just make it  _ stop." _ The chains let go, and she fell to the floor with a whimper, silently crying. Blood pooled beneath her.

"I will say, Skywalker, I'm almost impressed with how long you lasted. Shame, you have seemed to forget my words." They echoed back to her.  _ By the time you'd do anything to make the pain stop, my offer will have long expired. _ He bent down and snatched the girl's jaw, lifting her head painfully. "Too. Late." He released, and she fell back to her hands and knees. Sidious stared at her, making sure none of her injuries were life-threatening before leaving, satisfied. 

***

Months passed. At the end of every session, Lily begged for death to come. She wanted it to end. Her hope was lost. 

She had well and truly given up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...thoughts?


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... This is the last chapter for this book. No words.

Lily had just passed out from another session with Sidious. She felt a vision stirring in the corner of her mind, and she welcomed it.

There was a boy, with soft brown hair, and though his back was turned to her, she knew he had green eyes. He turned around. Lily felt a sudden nudge in the Force. She knew what it meant. 

He was Force-sensitive.

"Lily." Eli ran to her, embracing her in his arms. She thanked the Force for allowing her to see him one last time. She savored the feelings, warmth, protection, love, because she knew it would be the last time she felt them. She was thankful that her bones weren't broken in this plane, even if the bruises and cuts remained. Eli kissed her forehead before backing away a few steps, holding her hands. "What happened?"

"We were tracked by a Star Destroyer. We got captured. We didn't make it out. I look worse in reality." 

"That's it. I'm coming, whether the Alliance likes it or not. Where are you? I'm getting you and Luke out of there."

"There's no point, Eli." 

"What?"

"I've accepted the fact that I am going to die here. And unless you want your head on a platter, don't come after me." 

"There's no way Luke agrees with that." Lily's face fell. "What is it?"

"Luke's gone." She whispered.

"What?" Eli asked incredulously.

"Sidious found a way to turn him. He's the one who sent the Empire after you. I guess you already relocated." Eli nodded, shocked. "Please, please, please don't come after me."

"If you were in my position, would you stay?"

"Of course not. But it is my family's mess. It makes it my responsibility to die trying to clean it up."

"Lily, that is the worst argument I have ever heard."

"Vader is my father. Ruby is my sister. Luke turned. What can I do? I am drowning in a whirlwind of evil, and I will die in it."

"I can't do nothing while your dying."

"I've recently found out that you're Force-sensitive. Find the old holocrons I used, I think left some behind. Figure out how to rebuild the Republic. There's lots you can do that will be more useful than trying to rescue me." She sighed while Eli was absorbing the information. "I've missed you." Eli's expression was pained.

"I've missed you too. Five months without you is five months too long." He bent down and kissed her softly. He pulled away after feeling something in his pocket. "Oh, when I proposed I didn't have a ring. I found one that was perfect on my latest mission." He slid it on her finger. ~~~

"It's... beautiful." Lily was speechless. It was gold, with two strands intertwined. There were blue stones on the top half, with a diamond on the center.

"Whether you make it out or not, if this ring only stays here, remember you are the love of my life. Let this ring be a reminder that I will always fight for you." Lily's heart swelled before she felt darkness encroach.

"Sidious is coming. With my father and siblings. I have to go. Promise me something. Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll find a way to be happy?"

"Lily I-"

"Promise me!" Fresh tears were falling. Eli sighed.

"I promise. I love you." Lily found the strength to smile.

"I love you too." Eli's image started to fade. "Goodbye, my King." She whispered to the fading light, before turning her back and walking away.

"Goodbye, my Queen." He whispered to the back of the retreating girl he had known for an eternity, and the strong woman he fell in love with.

***

The first thing Lily was aware of was that her arms and legs were no longer broken. She was still laying on the floor, and when she tried to sit up, she painfully realized her ribs still were. 

The second thing was that her head was clearer than it had been for months.

The third and final thing was the cool metal of the ring on her finger. She touched it and silently asked Eli to forgive her for not coming back.

"I wonder what the Rebellion would say about their precious Lily Skywalker now." A familiar voice snarled. Sidious.

"Probably something along the lines of 'you look like a bantha stepped on you.'" She shot straight back. Sidious seem enraged that she had pieced herself back together. He stepped forward and ignited his red lightsaber.

_This is it. This is how I die._ Sidious lowered the tip of the blade to her side and then switched. She bit back a scream as he began to burn intricate designs into her skin, but couldn't help the one that tore through her throat as he pressed a red brand to her already abused ribs.

Jedi was now showing on the bruised chest. The lightsaber, there were now two, were back on her legs, and she whimpered. She found Luke in the room, the only emotion being cold indifference. Sidious motioned to him.

"Praedo." Luke walked over to her.

"Luke. Please." She whispered. He said nothing. She didn't think he would, or wanted him to. He ignited his green and brought it down, adding more burns. Instead of crying out, as a last attempt to break him of the Sith's hold, she hummed the lullaby Aunt Beru would sing them when they were little. When it finished, Luke moved the blade to a particularly painful spot under the brand. He pulled it away. Lily thought for a second it had worked. It didn't.

He plunged the lightsaber into her abdomen. Lily gasped in pain and found Luke's wrist.

"It'll be okay. It'll all be alright. I-I love... you." She got out. Her hand went limp. 

"I'm sorry." Luke whispered. His eyes flashed blue and regret before turning back. Lily smiled slightly before closing her eyes.

_I'm sorry, too, Luke._

_I'm sorry, Eli._

Lily Skywalker's life force faded away, and she was gone, a single tear of a lifetime of regrets and what-ifs down her cheek.

***

Eli dropped the wrench he was holding. He had just felt a disturbance, and knew what it must be if he could feel it. He ran to his room to meditate like he had been taught how to by one of the holocrons in Lily's old room, and saw the horrifying image.

His darling fiance, his light, was laying on a stone floor, a green lightsaber ran through her. Luke, her brother, her most trusted friend and constant ally stood over her, hand still on the handle. 

The Emperor, Vader, and Ruby stood back, watching as he was.

Fading.

Fading.

_Faded_.

He lost her. 

Rage overtook him, before calming down. He had to keep his head.

He barged into High Commands meeting. Whatever they were discussing could wait. He was met with Mothma.

"Commander King, I think you'll be happy to know we have finally agreed to clear the Skywalkers' names-" She said.

"It's too late for that." He spat, blind with anger, guilt, and grief. Mothma sighed.

"Please excuse us." The other members left."Eli, what happened?" Her tone was soft.

"Lily just died. Luke was forced to turn to the Dark Side. He killed her." Mothma had to steady herself.

"Why must the good always die young?" She whispered, more to herself than Eli, remembering Bail, Anakin, Padme. Eli looked confused. "I've known many, many good people who were going to fix the galaxy. Each one of them died before they got the chance, long before their time, the Skywalkers' parents included. I have known all the Skywalkers at one point or another." A fleet of Star Destroyers came out of hyperspace at that moment and surrounded them. "They've found us." She said simply. Alarms blared.

Confusion-fear-panic- all passed through Eli's mind, overtaken by immeasurable regret. 

Green laser fire came at them, leaving only time for two separate thoughts.

_Even a burnt fire can have a spark._

_I'm so sorry, Lily._

And then-nothing.

***

Lily's body disappeared in a bright flash of light, a final sentence ringing out in the Siths' ears.

**_YOU WILL LOSE, SIDIOUS._ **

A linger of her presence remained, her threat hanging in the air. The Sith didn't dare speak, taking in the rush of Dark energy after the light faded.

Like the last flicker of a candle's flame, it was over. 

The light was gone.

 

 

_ END _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I did that. Yep. Um, the sequel will be posted next Friday, with the description posted on this book tomorrow.   
> Please don't kill me.  
> Bye!


	25. Sequel Info

With the galaxy in tatters, Lily is sent back to stop her father's greatest mistake, and hopefully can avoid Sidious in the process. But when do things ever go to plan?

Yes, time travel. Isn't that fun?

Warnings: Flashbacks/Nightmares, things like that. Bits and pieces may be graphic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, umm, first chapter up next Friday!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it, and I am open to any and all thoughts, criticisms, etc. 
> 
> Bye!


End file.
